Gemini AI chatbot to help stumped Dragon Quest X players, Square Enix confirms Gemini-powered Chatty Slimey coming to MMORPG

Japanese games-maker Square Enix has announced a dynamic duo team up with Google's AI division, Japanese newspaper Sankei Shimbun reports.

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Square Enix is teaming up with Google to add a new AI companion into Dragon Quest X, allowing real-time hints, tips, and tricks for users.

The publisher will add a special new conversational AI companion into its popular MMORPG Dragon Quest X that's powered by Google's Gemini AI chatbot. It'll take the form of an in-game slime character, aka a special "Chatty Slimey" NPC, and players can ask it questions to get glean valuable info and help. The AI-powered slime will also have voiced dialog, and may be able to contextually speak on its own based on what's happening.

"When a player talks to Slimey using the chat function, it automatically generates voices and engages in conversation. The AI also analyses information from the game screen, and Slimey may even initiate conversations when a powerful enemy is defeated or a rare item is obtained," writes Japanese publication Sankei Shimbun, who attended the special overseas announcement reveal.

Users speculate that this technology could help any plans that Square Enix may have to bring Dragon Quest X to the West--the MMORPG has been exclusive to Japan since launch--as the chatbot could assist in real-time guidance features, which are helpful for onboarding of new players.

In the past, Square Enix has said it plans to be swift with adopting AI. In 2024, company president Takashi Kiryu said that the group will explore the cost savings opportunities that AI may be able to offer in games development:

"We also intend to be aggressive in applying AI and other cutting-edge technologies to both our content development and our publishing functions," Kiryu told investors at the time.