Cygames AI Pivot Sparks Outrage Among Horse Girl Fans—Apology Falls Flat

Cygames tried to pivot to AI, but the horse girls aren't buying it.

The Japanese studio announced its Cygames AI Studio subsidiary in a brief blog post, promising not to "implement generative AI into our products without prior notice." Less than 24 hours later, its career site listed open roles for "generative AI-related engineer and artist positions."

"We sincerely apologize for the concern we've caused,"

This pledge now reads like a punchline given the active hiring for AI development roles.

Cygames' parent company CyberAgent has operated an AI Lab since 2016. A 2025 industry survey found over 50% of Japanese game companies already use AI in development. Square Enix has openly committed to generative AI strategies, but Cygames' contradictory messaging has left fans fuming.