Annecy Defends Director Hisko Hulsing After Anti-AI Protest Disrupts 'Danse Macabre' Premiere
The festival's artistic director issued a public statement backing the Dutch filmmaker as tensions over generative AI in animation boiled over for a third consecutive year at the French event
![Square Enix has officially denied using generative AI for the controversial box art of the upcoming Kingdom Hearts Collection [I~III]. In a statement shared with GameSpot, a company spokesperson categorically blamed "human error" for the visual flaws and confirmed that updated, cleaned-up assets have already been distributed to retailers.Despite the corporate statement, many fans remain deeply skeptical due to the singleSquare Enix has officially denied using generative artificial intelligence for the upcoming Kingdom Hearts Collection [I–III] cover art, attributing the visual glitches strictly to "human error".Following the bundle's reveal during a Nintendo Direct presentation, the community quickly flagged several bizarre anomalies in the promotional imagery. Despite the official clarification, the controversy highlights an intensifying player skepticism toward major publishers and digital asset quality control.The Core DetailsThe Accusations: Fans noticed telltale signs commonly linked to AI-generated images on the original box art. These included Donald Duck having an incorrect number of fingers, distortions on Sora's shoes, and nonsensical background geometry like a warped clock tower.The Official Response: In an exclusive statement shared with GameSpot, a Square Enix PR representative clarified, "These assets were created by our development team without the use of generative AI, and the issues resulted from human error."The Ongoing Doubts: While updated cover art was swiftly sent to retailers to fix glaring mistakes like Donald's hand, fans on platforms like Reddit point out that other oddities remain. Many suspect the image may have undergone an automated or poorly supervised AI upscaling process, rather than being built by AI from scratch. An official promotional banner for the Kingdom Hearts Collection [I~III] video game compilation features a dynamic, multi-panel comic-book style collage celebrating the sprawling Disney and Square Enix crossover franchise.The image is segmented into several distinct, stylized panels against a dark background, anchored by a prominent, stylized golden title text at the top center reading "KINGDOM HEARTS Collection [I~III]". In the center panel, the main protagonist, Sora, leaps forward with an energetic expression, thrusting a clenched fist toward the viewer while his signature weapon, the Keyblade, rests behind him. He sports his classic outfit with red shorts, a black and white hooded jacket, and oversized yellow and black shoes. Flanking him in the central action are his loyal companions: Donald Duck, dressed in blue wizard attire and brandishing his magical staff, and Goofy, wearing his green turtleneck and orange vest, smiling wide with an open hand extended. Above them, silhouetted against a massive, bright full moon, is the iconic shape of King Mickey.The surrounding panels showcase various iterations of Sora alongside beautiful, scenic backdrops from the series. To the left, a panel shows a slightly older Sora standing on a wooden pier overlooking a vast, vibrant blue ocean beneath a sunlit sky with fluffy clouds. To the right, another panel depicts Roxas (or Sora in his Twilight Town attire) leaping playfully through the air against a warm, golden-hour sky, with the intricate, clock-tower architecture of Twilight Town visible in the lower right corner. The top-left corner panel contrasts these bright scenes with a dark, moody depiction of a towering, neon-lit skyscraper under a deep purple and red twilight sky, while the top-right panel shows a silhouetted castle perched on a distant cliff against a dramatic orange sunset. The entire composition balances high-energy character art with nostalgic landscapes, capturing the magical and adventurous essence of the series.](https://res.cloudinary.com/ddszmnkci/image/upload/x_1,y_0,w_738,h_415,c_crop/q_auto,f_auto/pakistaniart/square-enix-has-officially-denied-using--1785783523740)
Square Enix Denies AI Was Used in 'Kingdom Hearts' Box Art, but Fans Aren't Convinced
The publisher blamed "human error" for Donald Duck's five-fingered hand and other visual oddities in the new collection's key art, then quietly swapped it out