Epic relies on AI for Fortnite skins. Players are not pleased. They see artists threatened and are concerned about this development. However, Epic Games emphasizes that AI only serves a supportive role.
Epic Games has released an official YouTube video demonstrating how to use artificial intelligence in everyday life. Specifically, it relates to skins and environments in the game. In the video, the developer shows how AI is being implemented:
- Artists create the initial design, the drawing, for the skin or character. The rendering in the software is then handled by AI. In the next step, the artist has to adjust the rendering to get their design back, as AI adjusts details and adds or modifies elements.
- For environments, AI is also used for rendering. Additionally, AI is utilized to illuminate buildings at different times of day or events, so the team knows how the Point of Interest might look in the game.
Epic Games itself emphasizes that AI plays a supportive role, allowing artists to have more time for other tasks.
At the same time, the developer states that AI is far from perfect: artificial intelligence modifies content, does not render perfectly, requiring artists to rework the rendered content.
Fans criticize Epic’s decision
In a lengthy Reddit thread, players discuss Epic Games’ open statement. Many are not thrilled.
The harshest accusation from a Reddit user is the concern that this means artists will no longer be paid. Because now AI is doing the work:
A company that made 6 billion dollars last year does not want to pay artists.
However, there are also users who say the use fits into the overall concept of the game. Fortnite has long incorporated a mix of comic style and skins from dozens of universes, so the use of AI would not be too noticeable:
Since the entire artistic direction of Fortnite has always consisted of cartoonish, commercial collaboration junk aimed at appealing to as wide an audience as possible, I don’t think anyone would even notice a loss in quality.
Whether Epic Games has indeed laid off artists due to the use of AI is unclear. What is certain is that Epic Games laid off about 1,000 employees a few weeks ago and has already faced severe criticism for this decision.
Among those laid off, there was also a developer who was part of the team responsible for the Simpsons season map.
By the way, this is not the first time Epic has relied on AI in Fortnite. However, the last experiment went wrong. Because Darth Vader suddenly said things he shouldn’t. You can read more about this on MeinMMO: You can now talk to Darth Vader through AI in Fortnite, but the villain couldn’t behave and forced the developers to intervene
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