James Pond Legacy trailer looks AI-generated and System 3's denial isn't convincing anyone

System 3 is taking heavy flak after uploading a trailer for James Pond Legacy: The Pond Is Not Enough, a Switch 2 compilation covering the first four James Pond games. The trailer parodies classic James Bond opening credits — but the visuals have set off immediate alarm bells.

The footage shows characters with that unmistakable smooth, waxy look associated with AI-generated art. One character has four fingers on one hand and five on the other, which is about as clear a tell as it gets. System 3 has denied using generative AI, but the denial hasn't landed well — the community isn't buying it.

James Pond is a cult platformer series that peaked in the early 1990s on Amiga and Mega Drive, with James Pond 2: Codename RoboCod being the best-known entry. System 3 has been the series' publisher for decades, so a Switch 2 compilation is a genuine nostalgia play — but the AI controversy is drowning out any goodwill the announcement might have generated.

The backlash reflects a broader frustration in gaming communities with studios using AI-generated assets in promotional material without disclosure. Whether System 3 updates the trailer or addresses the criticism more directly remains to be seen.