Game Creator Slams AI in James Pond Anthology

The creator of the classic '90s platformer series James Pond, Chris Sorrell, has voiced strong disapproval regarding the upcoming anthology, James Pond Legacy: The Pond is Not Enough. Sorrell alleges that generative AI was extensively used in the creation of the trailer and new character artwork for the collection, which includes James Pond: Underwater Agent, James Pond: Codename Robocod, and James Pond 3: Operation Starfish. System 3 Software, which holds the rights to the games, has issued a denial, stating that no generative AI was employed in the trailer or artwork, and has provided a blog post detailing their creation process.

Sorrell, who has had no involvement in the project due to the IP's rights changing hands over two decades, expressed his dismay in an interview. He questioned System 3's claims, challenging them to provide technical proof like wireframe models to substantiate their denial of AI use. Sorrell decried the situation as an example of "soulless businessmen" exploiting intellectual property without respect for the original creators, opting for AI over compensating developers. This controversy mirrors recent discussions surrounding AI in game development trailers.