The originator of the “James Pond” intellectual property has publicly voiced severe disapproval towards the game development studio that’s now working on its upcoming sequel. Originally introduced in the US on the Sega Genesis, “James Pond” is set to receive a new title after more than a decade, yet it appears the person responsible for the original isn’t happy with the current direction.
In 1990, James Pond initially debuted as a platforming game, first released on Amiga and Atari ST in Europe. It later appeared on the Sega Genesis. A sequel came out a year later, followed by another one in 1993. Unfortunately, the series fell silent after that point, with the rights eventually passing to Gameware Europe following Sony’s acquisition of its original publisher, Millennium Interactive.
James Pond, Gameware, and Chris Sorrell
Despite Gameware Europe having owned the intellectual property for two decades, Chris Sorrell, its original creator, expresses significant displeasure towards the company. Presently, Gameware is developing James Pond and the Rogue AI, and in an interview with Time Extension, Sorrell didn’t hesitate to voice his anger and disappointment. He elaborated that he deeply dislikes “nearly everything they [Gameware Europe] do with vehemence, especially since they tricked me into participating in their disorganized Kickstarter campaign… I foolishly let my name be linked with their unscrupulous business endeavor.
Regarding the game “James Pond,” Sorrell, who’s known for directing the popular title “MediEvil,” appears to have some concerns about how Gameware has managed it. He notes that a recent teaser showcases James Pond in an elongating suit, which he described as “fun,” but expressed reservations, stating that it would work effectively only if developed by a skilled level designer, who likely isn’t employed by Gameware. He argues that the new version seems to be a repetition of a 34-year-old game without any technological advancements. However, what seems to irk him and fans of the original the most is the use of AI for marketing purposes.
In simpler terms, Sorrell mentions that it appears AI might have created the artwork for the game’s characters, as he notices that Gameware shared different-looking artworks on their social media platforms which didn’t closely resemble the original character. To add to the confusion, it seems like Gameware also uses AI for advertising their games, producing images of characters that don’t match with the actual games. For instance, one promotional image shows Pixar-style characters looking blankly, while another features a character whose fingers appear to be fused together in an unusual way. None of these images seem related to the actual games being advertised. AI has been a controversial topic in the gaming community for both players and developers.
Regrettably, due to the franchise being sold off, Sorrell no longer holds the reins in determining the future course of the James Pond series. The creator has largely avoided interviews on this topic, indicating the challenging state of affairs. As of now, there’s no announced release date for the upcoming game, leaving fans hopeful but patient, eager to see if Gameware Europe can deliver a quality product under such difficult circumstances.
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2025-08-06 02:03