We've already reported on System 3 boss Mark Cale's mammoth Kickstarter update and how it relates to the ongoing GenAI controversy surrounding James Pond, but Cale also touches on issues with The Last Ninja Collection, which was crowdfunded some time ago and remains only partially delivered.

As Cale explains, the PS4, PS5 and Xbox versions remain unreleased, two years after the campaign ended. Antstream, the developer behind the collection, has told System 3 it will no longer work on those versions "under the existing arrangements" and cited "changing market conditions" as one reason for the move. "That left us needing to find a way forward for the backers who had supported those editions," says Cale.

In addition, Antstream was contracted to create an 'Ultimate' collection that would have celebrated System 3's legacy, including games such as Myth, Flimbo’s Quest, Vendetta, Tusker, Fuzzball, and many more. This was intended to be ready for 2027.

It is also revealed that Cale intended to include additional Commodore 64 and Amiga titles in the PS4, PS5 and Xbox versions of The Last Ninja Collection as a way of "thanking you for your patience, with content beyond what you originally backed." However, "the work needed to make that possible has not been delivered by Antstream. As far as we have been able to establish, development of the Ultimate Pack has still not even begun."

Cale then notes that Antstream has recently worked with Commodore on Alien Breed 35th Anniversary Collection, which was released on 24th September.

"Antstream is entitled to work with other companies," he says. "My concern is not that it has other projects, but that the work we commissioned remains outstanding and is almost two years late. I no longer had confidence that we could rely on the original arrangements with Antstream to deliver the Ultimate Pack as envisaged. I also did not want the additional surprise we had planned to become another reason for delaying the collection you actually backed."

At this point, the System 3 CEO mentions the recently announced Evercade collections for Last Ninja and James Pond, and explains the reasoning behind them.

"One of the difficulties in changing developers has been obtaining the materials needed to continue the existing work," he says. "We have asked Antstream for the source code of The Last Ninja Collection or, at a minimum, the relevant compiled binary materials needed for a development handover. Those materials have still not been supplied."

He adds that, without the handover of development materials, "we cannot simply ask another developer to pick up Antstream’s work and finish the remaining versions. For that reason, we began discussions with Blaze Entertainment, the company behind Evercade, about an alternative route."

System 3 has worked with Blaze to "obtain binary files and source material through a separate arrangement, and they are helping us work with the emulation specialists they engage to bring our games to additional platforms."

He acknowledges that some fans who backed the Last Ninja Kickstarter a few years ago might be annoyed to see the games come to Evercade, but stresses that the two packs are not exactly the same:

"This does not mean an Evercade cartridge can simply be turned into a PlayStation or Xbox release. There is still development, testing and platform approval work to complete. What it gives us is another way forward, rather than leaving everything dependent on obtaining a handover from Antstream.

Without an alternative, we faced the prospect of a prolonged contractual dispute with Antstream before we could move forward using the existing work. I did not want our backers left waiting for the outcome of that dispute.

We are continuing discussions with Antstream to try to resolve the outstanding issues. We are also considering our options in relation to any contractual breaches. My priority, however, is to get the games completed, not to make fulfilment dependent on a lengthy legal process."

He then goes on to note that the Evercade packs do not contain as many games as the Antstream-developed versions and lack the bonus features – such as the Pondverse museum in The James Pond Legacy.

He concludes by admitting that "explanations are not a substitute for receiving the rewards you backed," and says he's aware some customers have "waited far longer than you should have. I am sorry for that. Antstream failed in their contracted delivery dates."

System 3's priorities, says Cale, are "completing the outstanding physical and digital rewards, delivering The Last Ninja Collection on PS5 and Xbox, and resolving the remaining obstacles to the PS4 version. The relationship with Evercade and its emulation partners is part of finding a way forward. It is not a replacement for this Kickstarter, and it does not release System 3 from its responsibilities to you."