The team behind the popular Ship of Harkinian PC port of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time has found itself caught in an AI controversy. Evidence has emerged that team members have been using ChatGPT, GitHub Copilot, and other AI tools for years, with players compiling extensive documentation claiming some code and assets show signs of AI generation. The news quickly spread through the retro gaming community.
Team: Everything Was Human-Checked!
Harbour Masters didn’t deny using AI, but pushed back against claims that the entire project is “Vibe Coding” or “AI garbage”. The team stated that some code was indeed converted or processed with AI assistance—for example, certain functions were developed through AI-assisted scripts and then tested. Members may also use LLMs to discuss technical ideas before implementing them manually. The team emphasized that all submitted code is reviewed by experienced personnel, not simply pasted from AI directly into the game.
Which Version Is “AI-Free”?
What really left players stunned was when someone directly asked developer Briaguya “Which version of Ship of Harkinian has absolutely no AI-assisted code?” The answer was: “I don’t know.” He admitted to using ChatGPT as a tool similar to Stack Overflow and couldn’t confirm whether early versions already contained code produced by other members using Copilot. In other words, the team can guarantee current code has human review, but can’t guarantee the entire project history is completely free of AI involvement.
Running a Small Team for a Decade Isn’t Easy
Harbour Masters also explained that the team is small but the project keeps growing, and over more than ten years, members have left or gotten busy with real life, making development resources consistently tight. The team believes that AI tools are ultimately just helpers for solving technical problems.