Level-5 Blames Human Error for Yo-Kai Watch 2 Presentation Issues, But Admits AI Use Elsewhere

Level-5 says many of the visual oddities fans blamed on generative AI in its recent trailers were actually human errors, but the studio has also admitted to careless AI use in some of its promotional material. The company has promised to re-release corrected trailers and to keep AI out of its game content.

What happened

Level-5 held its “Level-5 VISION 2026 II: Dreams” presentation on September 10, 2026, a day after the September 9 Nintendo Direct, where Yo-kai Watch 2: Haunted Domain also appeared. Players quickly flagged strange details in the Yo-kai Watch 2 material, including electrical wires, vending machines and rain gutters that looked distorted or impossible. Questions also arose over Professor Layton and the New World of Steam, where the character Nathan Adams looked different between trailers.

Level-5’s explanation

In a statement published on September 17, Level-5 said the power lines and vending machines were hand-drawn with intentionally simplified details, not AI generated. It said the differences in Nathan Adams’ model came from time pressure, because the Nintendo Direct deadline arrived before the full VISION presentation, forcing the studio to submit earlier versions with unfinished art. Level-5 said no AI was used in the Professor Layton video or in the game content itself.

However, the studio acknowledged that AI had been used casually in parts of the presentation materials, and it apologised for fuelling doubt with that careless use. Separately, in a September 12 post on X, studio president Akihiro Hino said Level-5 uses AI tools in development for efficiency purposes rather than for visible game assets. Hino’s earlier comments about how heavily AI could be used in game production, widely reported in 2025, have added to fan scepticism.

What Level-5 is promising

Level-5 said it would release corrected versions of the trailers and artwork around Tokyo Game Show 2026. Going forward, it says it will limit AI to efficiency-focused, behind-the-scenes work, avoid using AI directly in promotional videos and keep game content AI-free.

Why it matters

The episode shows how sensitive players have become to generative AI in games. Even where Level-5 says the problems were human mistakes, its admission that AI was used anywhere in the presentation has made fans more suspicious, and every visual flaw in future trailers is likely to be examined closely.

For fans of Yo-kai Watch and Professor Layton, the key question is the final games rather than the trailers. Level-5’s commitment to AI-free game content is a clear standard to hold it to, and the corrected trailers are the next step in rebuilding trust. Professor Layton and the New World of Steam is currently listed for December 10, 2026, which will be the first real test of that promise.