Ethan Crossfield 
If you’re wondering whether Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse was built with generative AI tools, Evil Empire’s leadership says the answer is no—while also sharing why the studio views “real creation” and its own “soul” as the priority.
What developers said about AI during development
Evil Empire and Konami developers addressed a direct question about whether Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse used generative AI tools. Speaking after a three-hour hands-on session in Paris, France, multiple members of the development team indicated that AI was not used in making the game.
From Konami’s side, producer Tsutomu Taniguchi said Konami has not used AI and does not claim a firm position on what may happen in the future, but emphasized that they have not applied AI to the project.
Evil Empire’s creative director Emmanuel Nouaille went further, stating that for the game itself, there is no AI. He framed the decision as respecting the direction of the team, the fans, and the wider industry, adding that the goal is genuine creation—keeping the studio’s “soul” in the final product. While he said he personally has no issue with AI in general, he argued that the specific job of making this game followed a no-AI approach.
Who weighed in—and what “no AI” means here
The remarks came from a group of developers interviewed together while the press was in Paris for a preview event. The panel included:
– Tsutomu Taniguchi from Konami (producer)
– Bérenger Dupré from Evil Empire (marketing director)
– Emmanuel Nouaille from Evil Empire (creative director)
Dupré’s contribution included a light moment: he joked that he uses AI to correct his English sentences. After the room laughed, Nouaille delivered the core response about the game’s production approach.
Based on what was stated in the interviews, the “no AI” claim is specifically about generative AI tools being used in development for Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse. The team also described their reasoning in values-based terms—prioritizing hands-on creation and the intended identity of the game—rather than discussing technical pipeline details.
What comes next for coverage—and when you can play
Beyond the AI question, the preview event also included behind-the-scenes discussion about the relationship between Evil Empire and Konami. Additional reporting is planned for the next issue of Game Informer, which will feature more details about Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse, including exclusive art and hands-on impressions from the three hours of gameplay.
Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse is scheduled to release on October 15 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
What players should know
- Evil Empire and Konami developers said Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse was made without generative AI tools.
- Konami producer Tsutomu Taniguchi said Konami has not used AI and doesn’t outline a strict future stance, but confirmed no AI for this project.
- Evil Empire creative director Emmanuel Nouaille emphasized “real creation” and keeping the studio’s “soul” in the game as the reason for the no-AI direction.
- Coverage is expanding in the next Game Informer issue, alongside exclusive art and more hands-on impressions.
Expert View
The clearest takeaway from the interviews is that the development leadership is presenting a firm, project-specific no-AI message for Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse. While the comments focus more on creative intent than technical specifics, the consistency across Konami and Evil Empire figures makes the claim meaningful for anyone concerned about AI-assisted content in the game’s creation. As always, the most reliable “proof” will be how the final game feels and performs—but for now, the studios’ stated position is straightforward: no generative AI used for this title.
