Epic Games, the creator of the global phenomenon Fortnite, is facing a wave of criticism from its player base over allegations it used AI-generated artwork in the recently launched Chapter 7. The controversy highlights the growing tension in the gaming industry over the use of generative artificial intelligence.
The Evidence Mounts on Reddit
Following the release of Fortnite Chapter 7 in December 2025, sharp-eyed players took to online forums to share suspicious findings. On Reddit, user Thready704 pointed to a poster featuring a yeti, noting the creature had an odd number of toes on each foot—a common telltale sign of AI image generation. "I can't tell if this is AI generated but the odd number of toes makes me think so," they wrote.
Other community members quickly joined the hunt, flagging additional potential examples. These included an emote allegedly using an AI-generated song titled 'Latata' and other pieces of in-game artwork that displayed the inconsistent details and strange artefacts often associated with AI 'slop'. One passionate Redditor summarised the sentiment, writing: "Say 'No' to AI slop. A billion dollar company should have no problem supporting real artists for real art."
CEO's Controversial Comments Fuel the Fire
The timing of these allegations is particularly notable. Just last week, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney made headlines by stating that online game stores should remove 'Made with AI' disclosure labels, arguing they "make no sense" in today's landscape.
On the social media platform X, Sweeney elaborated, "The AI tag is relevant to art exhibits for authorship disclosure, and to digital content licensing marketplaces where buyers need to understand the rights situation. It makes no sense for game stores, where AI will be involved in nearly all future production." He went on to joke about mandating disclosures for developers' shampoo brands, questioning where such transparency should end.
This stance directly contrasts with the policy of rival platform Steam, which has required developers to disclose the use of generative AI on store listings since 2024. The Epic Games Store has no such requirement.
An Artist's Defence and an Industry-Wide Issue
Amid the growing furore, Epic Games has not officially confirmed or denied the use of AI in Chapter 7's assets. However, one illustrator, Sean Dove Posting evidence of his Procreate layers on Instagram, Dove stated, "I don't have a Reddit account but just in case people are being weird, here's my procreate layers." He did, however, acknowledge a potential source for the confusion: a clock in the background. Dove admitted he had sourced clock images from an online search, collaged them, and applied a halftone effect, noting it was "entirely possible I grabbed an AI clock [and] wasn't paying attention." This incident is emblematic of a broader, industry-wide debate. While companies argue AI can streamline administrative and developmental tasks, its use to replicate creative work—such as concept art, dialogue, and music—remains deeply contentious. The issue is amplified when deployed by wealthy corporations like Epic or Activision, which fans argue have ample resources to commission human artists. The Fortnite controversy underscores how pervasive and politically charged generative AI has become, not just in gaming, but across modern creative industries. As the technology advances, the demand for transparency and ethical guidelines from players and creators alike is only set to grow louder.
