The original creator of the James Pond IP has openly shared some extreme criticism of the game studio that’s currently working on its next entry. James Pond, which originally arrived in the US on the Sega Genesis, is getting a new title for the first time in over a decade, but it seems the person behind the original is far from pleased with it.
James Pond originally got its start in 1990 as a platforming game that launched on the Amiga and Atari ST in Europe, and made its way to the Sega Genesis afterward. It was followed by a sequel a year later, and a third by 1993. However, the franchise largely went quiet after that, with the title eventually being sold off to Gameware Europe after Sony acquired its publisher, Millennium Interactive.
James Pond, Gameware, and Chris Sorrell
Although it’s been the property of Gameware Europe for two decades, the original IP creator, Chris Sorrell, is far from pleased with the company. Gameware is currently working on James Pond and the Rogue AI, and in a conversation with Time Extension, Sorrell was quick to share his anger and frustration. He explained that he hates “almost everything they [Gameware Europe] do with a passion, all the more since they duped me into being part of their shambolic Kickstarter campaign… I stupidly allowed my name to become associated with their bottom-feeding enterprise.”
Sorrell, who notably also directed the classic MediEvil, seems to take issue with a few different things regarding how Gameware has handled James Pond. He points out that the latest teaser from the game shows James Pond stretching and twisting in an extending suit, which he admitted looked “fun,” but added that he felt it would only work well if it were done by a “capable level designer, who probably doesn’t work for Gameware.” He claims that the new entry looks like a rehash of a 34-year-old game with no advancement of technology. However, one of the biggest thorns in his side, and that of the fans of the original, seems to be the use of AI to promote the game.
Sorrell points out that it seems like AI may have been used to generate “art” of the character, as he notes that the social media channels for Gameware shared artwork for the game that “looked utterly different,” with varying appearances in each, and not enough of a resemblance to the original character. To make matters worse, Gameware seems to use AI to advertise its games, as well, with generated images of Pixar-esque characters vacantly gawking in reaction to what they’re supposedly playing in one promo image, while another features a character whose fingers seem to be melting together. Neither image seems to have any connection to the actual games themselves. AI has notably been a sore spot in gaming for players and developers alike.
Unfortunately, Sorrell has been left in a position where he has no control over the direction of the franchise anymore, due to it being sold off. The situation has been so bad that the creator has largely refused most interviews regarding the James Pond franchise. At this time, there’s no release date for the upcoming game, so series fans will have to wait and see if Gameware Europe can produce a quality product despite all these issues.
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