Weeks after Square Enix was accused of using generative AI for the cover artwork of Kingdom Hearts Collection [1~3], the company responded by denying the claims. The response from Square Enix came ahead of the October 8 launch of Kingdom Hearts Collection [1~3] on Nintendo Switch 2.
First revealed during the June 9 Nintendo Direct broadcast, Kingdom Hearts Collection [1~3] is a digital compilation that was previously released as Kingdom Hearts Integrum Masterpiece on other platforms. Kingdom Hearts Collection [1~3] includes native current-gen console ports of several Kingdom Hearts games, such as Kingdom Hearts Final Mix and Kingdom Hearts 3 + ReMind, along with HD movies that cover the events of games like Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days. Kingdom Hearts Collection [1~3] is priced at $74.99 as of this writing, with digital and physical pre-orders now available at different retailers.
Kingdom Hearts Developer Denies Generative AI Claims
While artwork from the Kingdom Hearts series is usually attributed to Tetsuya Nomura, the series’ director and lead character designer, Square Enix came under fire for potentially using generative AI for the cover artwork of Kingdom Hearts Collection [1~3]. In a statement to GameSpot, a Square Enix representative replied that the company was aware of the feedback regarding the cover art for the upcoming title. While the company acknowledged that the artwork had issues, Square Enix refuted the claims that it used AI for Kingdom Hearts Collection [1~3]. Instead, Square Enix attributed the issues to “human error” and has since updated the assets in question. One of the major flaws Kingdom Hearts fans noticed immediately was that Donald Duck’s left hand had five fingers when he usually has four.
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The Kingdom Hearts development team subsequently obscured Donald’s hand for some promotional artwork, while other pieces showed the white-feathered mage with his usual four fingers rather than the uncanny five fingers he had before. Although the issues surrounding Donald’s hand have since been remedied, other flaws, such as the crowns on Sora’s chain belt, remain in Square Enix’s artwork as of this writing. Despite fan pushback against the use of generative AI in any form, companies often end up using the tool, such as how Sony used AI as a way to detect and prevent fraudulent transactions on its platforms.
During the reveal of Kingdom Hearts Collection [1~3], Square Enix also shared new gameplay footage from Kingdom Hearts 4. Although Square Enix did not share a release window for Kingdom Hearts 4, the company confirmed that the highly-anticipated sequel will launch on Nintendo Switch 2 and other platforms simultaneously. However, Kingdom Hearts fans looking for more news about the franchise will not have to wait much longer. Disney confirmed that the Kingdom Hearts: Deep Dive panel will be held on August 14 at the annual D23 expo to celebrate the Kingdom Hearts franchise’s upcoming 25th anniversary.
However, Square Enix and Disney have since kept a tight lid on what fans can expect during and after D23. With Square Enix releasing more of its major IPs on the Switch 2, such as the critically-acclaimed MMORPG Final Fantasy 14 on August 4, time will tell how Kingdom Hearts Collection [1~3] will fare by comparison.
- Released
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March 30, 2021
- ESRB
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Everyone 10+ / Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Use of Alcohol
