Apex Legends AI Art Controversy in FF7 Rebirth Event Raises Industry Concerns

The controversy surrounding the use of AI-generated art in Apex Legends' Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth event has sparked significant discussion and concern within the gaming community. Announced during the 2023 Video Game Awards and launched on January 6, 2024, the event's promotional materials were at the heart of this issue. Fans and artists alike have raised accusations against the game's developers, suspecting that some of the promotional art was AI-generated, particularly in a recent trailer​​​​.

Art Director and Designer Thorsten Denk was one of the first to voice concerns, pointing out specific artwork in the promotional materials that he believed to be AI-generated. He expressed his disappointment at the possibility of AI being used instead of commissioning artists, and shared screenshots of the art in question to illustrate his points​​​​.

The controversy has elicited reactions from various artists and members of the gaming community, including Rainbow Six Siege Community Artist Elevate KOOBI, who expressed surprise and disappointment, especially given Apex Legends' history of working with talented artists. This sentiment reflects a broader debate on the use of AI in artistic creation, particularly in contexts where human artists have traditionally been employed​​​​.

As of now, neither Respawn Entertainment nor EA, the developer and publisher of Apex Legends, respectively, have officially addressed these allegations. The lack of response has left many in the gaming community awaiting clarification on the matter​​​​.

In a related note, an Apex Legends developer, Daniel Klein, has criticized the insulting behavior of some players towards Respawn developers. He emphasized that such negativity, including personal attacks and insults, has led some developers to avoid direct communication with the community. This toxic environment raises concerns about the impact of player feedback on developers, highlighting the importance of respectful interaction within gaming communities​​​​​​​​​​​​.