Square Enix Says Controversial Kingdom Hearts Collection Art Was the Result of ‘Human Error,’ Not Generative AI
Square Enix has denied using generative AI in disputed promotional artwork for Kingdom Hearts Collection 1-3, saying the apparent visual mistakes were caused by “human error”. The issue matters because fans had cited irregular details, particularly Donald Duck’s mismatched finger counts, as evidence of AI-assisted image generation and criticised the publisher’s quality control.
The artwork accompanied the collection’s June announcement for PC, Switch 2, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Square Enix said it had updated assets where appropriate; Donald’s hand appears corrected, although some criticised details, including the clocktower and Sora’s shoes, remain. Kingdom Hearts Collection 1-3 is due to launch on 8 October 2026.
- Square Enix says disputed Kingdom Hearts art was not made with generative AI.
- The publisher attributes the mistakes to human error.
- Updated artwork fixes some, but not all, criticised details.