A new trailer for James Pond Legacy: The Pond is Not Enough, a forthcoming collection of classic James Pond titles, has drawn accusations of featuring generative AI art and assets. Following public commentary on YouTube that highlighted what appeared to be AI-generated imagery, developer System 3 disabled comments on the reveal video.
The visual style of the key art and character renders in the trailer has been noted for a characteristic glossy, wide-eyed aesthetic common in AI image generation. Reports suggest that characters may have been subjected to multiple yellow filters, a frequent outcome of preference tuning in AI models that often default to a warm, "golden hour" color palette based on their training data.
This is not the first time the James Pond franchise has been associated with generative AI. The creator of James Pond, Chris Sorrell, previously voiced strong disapproval of the technology's use in the legacy sequel James Pond: Rogue AI, describing his past involvement with the project as regrettable.
The James Pond Legacy collection is set to include James Pond: Underwater Agent, James Pond 2: Robocod, James Pond 3: Operation Starfish, and The Aquatic Games Starring James Pond and the Aquabats. The compilation is scheduled for an exclusive launch on Nintendo Switch in October 2026. The collection also promises an interactive historical archive featuring original, handcrafted artwork from the classic games, which contrast with the newer, potentially AI-generated visuals.
The use of generative AI in video game development remains a contentious issue, particularly for asset creation. Several studios have faced scrutiny over their use of the technology, with some claiming it was for temporary assets to be replaced by human-made art. Others, like Larian Studios, have acknowledged using AI tools for tasks such as concept exploration and placeholder content, while also indicating plans to expand their human artist teams. Conversely, some developers, such as Mega Crit, have publicly stated a preference for "shitty" human-made art over AI-generated content during the conceptual phase of game development.