Capcom plans AI-focused engine upgrade to streamline game development
Capcom plans to upgrade its RE Engine through a project called REX, aiming to make it a “game engine of the AI generation”. The company says AI will help make development more efficient as games and their assets grow in size and take longer to produce.
Capcom programmer Satoshi Ishida said the planned use is focused on streamlining workflows, rather than generating material for its games. The approach is consistent with the company’s earlier statement that it would explore AI assistance in graphics, sound and programming but would not use AI-generated content in games. Other companies, including Epic Games, are also adding AI tools to development engines.
- Capcom plans an AI-focused upgrade to its RE Engine.
- The stated aim is to speed up development workflows.
- Capcom has said it will not use AI-generated game content.
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A game engine is the software developers use to build a game and make its graphics, sound and other parts work together. Capcom’s RE Engine is used for games including Resident Evil and Monster Hunter.
As games become larger and more complex, development can take more time and involve more work on digital assets such as characters, environments and sound. Capcom says it wants AI tools to help developers manage that work more efficiently, while its stated approach is to use AI to support production rather than create material that appears in its games.
Capcom is a Japanese game company, and other firms, including Epic Games, are also adding AI tools to their development software. How these tools are used may affect the time and resources needed to make future games.
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The case for
AI tools in an engine could help developers manage increasingly large games and assets, reducing repetitive work and freeing skilled staff to focus on design, polish and technical problems. If used to support workflows rather than generate game content, the tools may improve efficiency while preserving creative control and could help contain development time and costs.
The case against
Even workflow-focused AI can introduce errors, extra checking and new dependencies, so its promised efficiency may not translate into faster or better games. Developers may also reasonably worry that expanding AI use could change job expectations or gradually extend into content creation, making clear limits, accountability and effects on creative work important to assess.
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Originally published by Engadget as “Capcom plans to use AI to speed up the game development process”.