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Earthworm Jim creator calls his design "slop," says AI does it better

If you know Jim's creator, this may not shock you, but it still will feel like an odd thing to say about your own creation.
Alex Hopley Editor UK Updated 22 May 2026

Doug TenNapel, the creator of Earthworm Jim, has said that his creation pales in comparison to an AI-generated image of the character. Jim is a bit of a platforming legend, especially to those who remember him and his wacky adventures. However, it's a bit tricky to be a fan of his these days, as his papa isn't exactly known for making the best tweets.

As caught by TheGamer, TenNapel recently pandered to AI "art" creators by saying that his original work was "slop" compared to the thought and effort someone put into making a prompt to bring an HD version of Jim to life.

"EWJ was slop when I made him. You probably spent more thought, skill and care in writing prompts to make this Ai image than I did scribbling out the original," wrote TenNapel.

https://x.com/DougTenNapel/status/2057098799709847747

A lot of fans were quite surprised at the creator's negative take on his own work. TenNapel explained that he didn't have much input on the characters we saw in final products, instead making ideas through messy sketches that were then expressed in a greater capacity through animators and animation directors. Still, no need to downplay your own work, TenNapel, at least you did it yourself!

Editor UK Alex Hopley covered the video game industry for Gamereactor, from new announcements and launches to the business behind them. He also wrote on tech, film and entertainment, and his coverage wasn't tied to any one region.
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