Square Enix Says No Generative AI Used in Kingdom Hearts Collection Art

Square Enix’s long-awaited return-to-consoles-and-PC push for The Kingdom Hearts Collection [I-III] has run into a fresh wave of controversy after fans scrutinized the game’s main promotional artwork and flagged multiple visual “glitches” they claim look like generative AI errors. The publisher now says the artwork was created by its development team without generative AI tools, and that the problems stem from what it calls a “human error.”

What fans noticed in the original Kingdom Hearts Collection artwork

The initial promotional image for The Kingdom Hearts Collection [I-III] quickly became a talking point on social media, with players pointing to inconsistencies they associated with image-generation artifacts. Among the specific issues cited:

• Donald Duck’s left hand was shown with five fingers, while his right hand appeared to have four.
• The zippers on his clothing appeared to blur or melt into the fabric.
• A connector element linking Mickey’s symbol to Sora’s Keyblade looked like it changed its mesh partway through.
• On Sora’s belt, crown-shaped patterns on the chain were described as fused and distorted.
• Motifs that are normally engraved beneath Sora’s shoe soles were said to be missing entirely.
• In Twilight Town’s clocktower background, the clock hands were described as bending oddly.

Square Enix responds: “human error,” not generative AI

After roughly two months of silence, Square Enix provided a statement through a spokesperson to GameSpot. The publisher said it had reviewed feedback about the recent Kingdom Hearts visuals, adding that the elements were created by its development team without using generative AI. It attributed the observed problems to “human error,” emphasized that visual quality is extremely important to the company, and said updated visuals were deployed where needed.

While Square Enix’s response denies generative AI use, it did not provide technical detail on how a human mistake could result in the specific types of distortions fans highlighted.

What changed in the updated images—and what didn’t

Square Enix appears to have adjusted the artwork on some of its official channels, but the revision is described as partial by observers.

Version-specific edits

• In one updated variant, Donald Duck’s hand was corrected back to four fingers.
• In another variant used for a YouTube trailer thumbnail, Square Enix reportedly hid the contentious hand by cropping/covering it within the frame.

Remaining issues

Despite those changes, most of the other problems fans pointed out were still present in the newer visuals, including the crown distortions on Sora’s belt chain, the missing engraved motifs under his shoes, and the unstable mesh on the chain connecting Mickey’s symbol to Sora’s Keyblade. The clocktower hands were also said to have only been slightly straightened, which may not be enough to quell public doubt.

Release date and platforms

The Kingdom Hearts Collection [I-III] is still listed for release on October 8, 2026. The collection is planned for PC, Switch 2, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.