Apex Legends enthusiasts took to social platforms to accuse the game’s creators of utilizing AI-generated art in certain promotional materials for the Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth event.
During the 2023 Video Game Awards show on December 7, 2023, Apex Legends unveiled a collaborative event with Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. The event is scheduled to kick off on January 6, 2024, and the development team has rolled out promotional content to build anticipation among fans.
Nevertheless, some fans have raised concerns alleging that the developers incorporated AI-generated art in some of these promotional materials and have expressed their discontent on social media.
Allegations of AI Art Usage in FF7 Rebirth Collaboration by Apex Legends Fans
The discourse regarding AI-generated art sparked when Thorsten Denk, an Art Director and Designer, accused the development team of resorting to AI for creating interstitial art in a recent trailer.
Denk voiced his disapproval on X, stating, “Apex Legends/EA resorting to AI instead of compensating artists for their promotional artwork is disheartening. It appears as though we have collectively chosen to diminish the value of human creativity for financial gain.”
The digital artist shared two screenshots from the Apex Legends x FF7 Rebirth trailer showcasing Valkyrie and Wattson. In his post, Denk highlighted various elements in the artwork that allegedly indicate the use of AI.
“Apex Legends/EA resorting to AI instead of compensating artists for their promotional artwork is disheartening. It appears as though we have collectively chosen to diminish the value of human creativity for financial gain. #ApexLegends” – @thorsten_denk
Numerous artists and members of the gaming community responded to the initial tweet, sharing their perspectives on the matter.
Rainbow Six Siege Community Artist Elevate KOOBI remarked, “I hadn’t heard of that until now 🙁 Especially disappointing to see, especially knowing they have collaborated with talented artists like IFrAgMenTIx previously.”
“I hadn’t heard of that until now 🙁
Especially disappointing to see, especially knowing they have collaborated with talented artists like @IFrAgMenTIx in the past
Has the Apex community noticed this yet and brought this to attention or not?” – @MadeByKOOBI
In fact, the official Apex Legends X account posted artwork created by Fragment on January 5, 2024.
The utilization of AI remains a contentious issue in the gaming industry, with titles like The Finals embracing AI technology during development.
As of the current moment, neither the developer Respawn Entertainment nor the publisher EA have addressed the allegations.
