Konami does not think AI is about to turn the games industry upside down. In the company's new Integrated Report 2026, released on Thursday (October 15th), Konami Digital Entertainment president Hideki Hayakawa said he does not expect the market to change much because of it, and that people will stay at the center of how games get made.
Hayakawa leads Konami's Digital Entertainment business, which covers Metal Gear, Silent Hill, eFootball, Yu-Gi-Oh!, and more. His comments came in a Q&A section of the report, which is Konami's first ever Integrated Report and is currently available in Japanese on the company's investor relations site. The quotes below are our own translation.
What Hayakawa Said About AI
Asked about the risks and opportunities facing the business, Hayakawa brought up AI directly. He noted that the impact of AI on the industry is often described as impossible to ignore, and that it is widely believed to let anyone make games with ease.
He did not agree with where that idea usually leads. "However, I do not think the market environment will change significantly," he said. His first reason was that the barrier to entry has already dropped, thanks to the growth of general-purpose game engines and user-generated content.
His second reason focused on the people making games. Hayakawa said that even if AI makes development more efficient, "the most important thing for making fun and innovative games is people, and creators." He explained that games are made by teams of creators from many different backgrounds who trade ideas and push each other toward new kinds of play, adding that "this kind of chemical reaction cannot easily be replaced."
Konami Is Still Watching New Tech
Hayakawa did not write off new technology entirely. He said technical progress has always shaped game development, and that Konami sees it as a way to create new experiences, calling it a big opportunity for the company.
He also said Konami keeps a close eye on the latest trends and has set up a department to push research and development whenever a promising new technology appears. The company also offers organizational support so its creators can understand new tools, judge the risks properly, and use them with confidence.
The same report shows Konami is already using AI in at least one of its games. In its section on eFootball, the report says Konami is actively investing in AI and other new technology to improve the game and its competitive side. It points to the analyst feature added in a December 2025 update, which studies a player's stats and play style and gives tactical advice, and says the team is looking at other ideas like training tools to help players improve.
That puts Konami's position somewhere in the middle. It is using AI for gameplay features and keeping an eye on everything else, while making it clear that creators remain the key to its games.
A Strong Year For Konami
Hayakawa's comments come after a very good year for the company. The report shows Konami Group's revenue for the fiscal year that ended in March 2026 reached about 493.7 billion yen, up from about 421.6 billion yen the year before.
He pointed to two big releases in particular. Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, the remake of the 2004 classic, has shipped more than 2 million copies worldwide. He also said Silent Hill f, the series' first game set in Japan and a fully original entry, was delivered with a high level of polish and was well received by players.
Looking ahead, Hayakawa said Konami wants to keep building up its existing series, revive more of its classic franchises, and create brand-new ones. One new project he named is Rev. NOiR, an original RPG that is currently in development.
Konami is far from the only big publisher being asked about AI right now, and its answer is one of the more cautious ones so far. With so many studios under pressure to show investors how they plan to use the technology, it will be interesting to see whether the company sticks to this view as its next wave of games arrives.
Do you believe Konami will keep creators at the heart of its games as AI tools get better, or do you expect it to lean on AI more once the pressure from investors grows?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.