{"id":137547,"date":"2026-06-10T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-10T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/#article-202420"},"modified":"2026-06-10T12:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-06-10T12:00:00","slug":"kingdom-hearts-collection-key-art-has-fans-sleuthing-to-work-out-if-ai-was-used","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/2026\/06\/10\/kingdom-hearts-collection-key-art-has-fans-sleuthing-to-work-out-if-ai-was-used\/","title":{"rendered":"Kingdom Hearts Collection Key Art Has Fans Sleuthing To Work Out If AI Was Used"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"media_block\"><a href=\"https:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/cefaa3ca93772\/large.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/cefaa3ca93772\/small.jpg\" class=\"media_thumbnail\"><\/a><\/div>\n<figure class=\"picture\" data-uuid=\"ad2952fa354c7\"><a class=\"scanlines\" title=\"Kingdom Hearts\" href=\"https:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/ad2952fa354c7\/kingdom-hearts.large.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/ad2952fa354c7\/kingdom-hearts.900x.jpg\" width=\"900\" height=\"506\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Kingdom Hearts\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption\"><em class=\"credit\"><span class><\/span> Image: Square Enix<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Kingdom Hearts<\/strong> fans the world over were very happy over <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/news\/2026\/06\/kingdom-hearts-4-confirmed-for-switch-2-new-gameplay-showcased\">news<\/a> from the recent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/guides\/nintendo-direct-june-2026-every-announcement-game-reveal-and-trailer\">Nintendo Direct<\/a> that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/nintendo-switch-2\/kingdom-hearts-iv\">Kingdom Hearts 4<\/a> will launch simultaneously on Switch 2 and other platforms (no date yet) <em>and<\/em> native versions of the first three games (well, more than three, but let&#8217;s not muddy things just yet) helping to wash from our mouths the taste of the rancid Cloud Versions (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/news\/2026\/06\/kingdom-hearts-switch-cloud-versions-discontinued-from-sale\">now removed from sale<\/a>). Good news all round and there was much rejoicing.<\/p>\n<p>However, taking a closer look at the NA key art for the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/nintendo-switch-2\/kingdom-hearts-collection-iiii\">Kingdom Hearts Collection [I~III]<\/a> box opened up the internet to debate over the alleged use of AI to enhance and\/or upscale Tetsuya Nomura&#8217;s artwork.<\/p>\n<p>What&#8217;s causing the upset? It kicked off when it was noted that Donald Duck had four fingers on his left hand, not his regulation three (which he <em>does<\/em> have on his right hand). Observe:<\/p>\n<aside class=\"object object-bsky-post\"><!-- cache: oembed\/https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/tracker-td.bsky.social\/post\/3mnuoepz3fc2v @ 2026-06-10T12:03:13+01:00 --><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"bluesky-embed\" data-bluesky-uri=\"at:\/\/did:plc:f5go7y7wzsn4ftdmqb6e2fle\/app.bsky.feed.post\/3mnuoepz3fc2v\" data-bluesky-cid=\"bafyreicyvtoqua5zugpf2sttujpm7nvqafmaorfduroovvbbm7gbt7jq7u\">\n<p lang=\"en\">that KH Switch collection pack thing sure has some interesting cover art interesting choice to give Donald a mismatched number of fingers on each hand, and a beak that absorbs into itself<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/did:plc:f5go7y7wzsn4ftdmqb6e2fle?ref_src=embed\">Tracker_TD (@tracker-td.bsky.social)<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/did:plc:f5go7y7wzsn4ftdmqb6e2fle\/post\/3mnuoepz3fc2v?ref_src=embed\">2026-06-09T17:01:51.985Z<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/aside>\n<p>Incorrect digit counts and droopy detailing are telltale signs of generative AI, although it appears that things aren&#8217;t as simple as they first appeared. For reference, here&#8217;s the key art that&#8217;s apparently unaltered (left) versus the version Square Enix is using on the US box art (right):<\/p>\n<aside class=\"gallery\">\n<div class=\"cols cols-2\">\n<div class=\"col col-1 col-width-50\"><a title=\"Click to see the full versions, and note the different positions\" class=\"scanlines\" href=\"https:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/8ec2288704227\/click-to-see-the-full-versions-and-note-the-different-positions.large.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/8ec2288704227\/click-to-see-the-full-versions-and-note-the-different-positions.445x250.jpg\" width=\"445\" height=\"250\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Click to see the full versions, and note the different positions\"><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"col col-1 col-width-50\"><a title=\"Click to see the full versions, and note the different positions\" class=\"scanlines scanlines\" href=\"https:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/9b0b565e53dbe\/click-to-see-the-full-versions-and-note-the-different-positions.large.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/9b0b565e53dbe\/click-to-see-the-full-versions-and-note-the-different-positions.445x250.jpg\" width=\"445\" height=\"250\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Click to see the full versions, and note the different positions\"><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"caption\">Click to see the full versions, and note the different positions \u2014 <em class=\"credit\"><span class><\/span> Images: Square Enix<\/em><\/figcaption><\/aside>\n<p>Following on from theories that <em>the whole thing<\/em> was generated by AI (with previous art of Goofy and Donald in identical poses being cited as potential proof), posters such as streamer and artist <a href=\"https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/kahene.bsky.social\/post\/3mnuxjwauf22q\">Kahene on Bluesky<\/a> believe that the characters from Nomura&#8217;s original artwork have been separated from the original composition, with the previously hidden details extrapolated using AI and repositioned for the Western box art.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"object object-bsky-post\"><!-- cache: oembed\/https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/kahene.bsky.social\/post\/3mnuxjrte2s2q @ 2026-06-10T12:04:55+01:00 --><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"bluesky-embed\" data-bluesky-uri=\"at:\/\/did:plc:lp43kbxl3koafxrm7psiativ\/app.bsky.feed.post\/3mnuxjrte2s2q\" data-bluesky-cid=\"bafyreifw4fvjkhz66tgfvgh45fjnid5ird5gc7jrdiukywlcx4qhe2d2qu\">\n<p lang=\"en\">It appears that, the cover isn&#8217;t ENTIERELY made by AI but it&#8217;s originally a true artwork made by Nomura which was THEN put into an AI to change characters position. As you can see, all the oddities (like Donald fingers) don&#8217;t appear on this original version.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/did:plc:lp43kbxl3koafxrm7psiativ?ref_src=embed\">Kahene (@kahene.bsky.social)<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/did:plc:lp43kbxl3koafxrm7psiativ\/post\/3mnuxjrte2s2q?ref_src=embed\">2026-06-09T19:45:39.896Z<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/aside>\n<aside class=\"object object-bsky-post\"><!-- cache: oembed\/https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/kahene.bsky.social\/post\/3mnuxjwauf22q @ 2026-06-10T12:03:14+01:00 --><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"bluesky-embed\" data-bluesky-uri=\"at:\/\/did:plc:lp43kbxl3koafxrm7psiativ\/app.bsky.feed.post\/3mnuxjwauf22q\" data-bluesky-cid=\"bafyreiffef3jndme4br24ameqb3bhlykx7ywzm6ddqzrszpxwdimtla4pu\">\n<p lang=\"en\">And it seems that this original untouched version is used for the Japanese PS5 and Switch 2 version of the game. (I think the PS5 physical copy is exclusive to Japan)<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/did:plc:lp43kbxl3koafxrm7psiativ?ref_src=embed\">Kahene (@kahene.bsky.social)<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/did:plc:lp43kbxl3koafxrm7psiativ\/post\/3mnuxjwauf22q?ref_src=embed\">2026-06-09T19:45:39.897Z<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/aside>\n<aside class=\"object object-bsky-post\"><!-- cache: oembed\/https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/kahene.bsky.social\/post\/3mnv427vxrs2x @ 2026-06-10T12:03:14+01:00 --><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"bluesky-embed\" data-bluesky-uri=\"at:\/\/did:plc:lp43kbxl3koafxrm7psiativ\/app.bsky.feed.post\/3mnv427vxrs2x\" data-bluesky-cid=\"bafyreih57l53w5t5jr4fxsbiym6yowiihld4ynqnrrzemegvv27j6asbva\">\n<p lang=\"en\">UPDATE : To prove my point further, @dekudraws.bsky.social, one of the artist who can mimics the best Nomura&#8217;s art style, stated exactly the same thing as I.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/did:plc:lp43kbxl3koafxrm7psiativ?ref_src=embed\">Kahene (@kahene.bsky.social)<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/did:plc:lp43kbxl3koafxrm7psiativ\/post\/3mnv427vxrs2x?ref_src=embed\">2026-06-09T21:06:31.948Z<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/aside>\n<p>A very plausible theory, given the evidence &#8211; we&#8217;ve reached out to Square Enix for comment and will update this post when we hear back.<\/p>\n<p>With Square Enix <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/news\/2025\/11\/square-enix-aims-to-automate-70percent-of-qa-with-generative-ai-by-2027\">previously stating<\/a> that the company is looking to make extensive use of AI in areas such as QA, fans were always going to be on high alert. <em>If<\/em> generative AI has been deployed here by Square&#8217;s US branch, not catching an issue as obvious as an extra finger feels like a schoolboy error, especially considering the involvement of Disney IP, Noruma&#8217;s treasured artwork, and ever-devoted fans.<\/p>\n<p><em>Let us know below if the current theory makes sense to you, and if it affects your excitement for the series&#8217; return.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><!-- cache: html:nintendolife.com\/ssl\/related-articles:202375,172071,195525 @ 1781118194 --><\/p>\n<aside class=\"block object-related\"> <\/aside>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Image: Square Enix Kingdom Hearts fans the world over were very happy over news from the recent Nintendo Direct that Kingdom Hearts 4 will launch simultaneously on Switch 2 and other platforms (no date yet) and native versions of the first three games (well, more than three, but let&#8217;s not muddy things just yet) helping [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-137547","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-nintendo-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/137547","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=137547"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/137547\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=137547"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=137547"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=137547"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}