Steins;Gate Developer Mages Inc Announces Free-to-Play Retro FPS Juggernaut Using Generative AI

Mages Inc, the Japanese studio best known for the visual novel series Steins;Gate and recent iterations of Corpse Party, is branching into a new genre with a forthcoming free-to-play first-person shooter named Juggernaut. Styled after older Wolfenstein engine first-person shooters, the game involves fighting waves of zombies in flat, pixellated arenas. Alongside the free release, Mages Inc plans to launch the Juggernaut Assets Maker, a paid tool that allows players to build custom levels and add their own assets.

While Mages Inc has a history spanning over two decades and boasts positive Steam reviews for titles like Steins;Gate and the recent Steins;Gate Re:Boot, its new shooter relies heavily on generative automation. According to the game official AI Disclosure, the source code and effects are entirely generated by AI, alongside 60 percent of the graphics and 50 percent of the sound. The accompanying Juggernaut Asset Maker tool also features a disclosure stating that its source code was generated using generative AI.

This heavy reliance on automated tools has surprised players, with some users taking to the Steam discussion boards to air grievances regarding the creative direction. Although games featuring AI disclosures make up a significant portion of weekly releases on Steam, prominent studios with established track records in other genres rarely lean into generative assets to this degree.