One of the biggest interactive entertainment companies in the world, Epic Games, has been talking up its AI-related capabilities lately, and it hasn’t gone down well with the creators of Vampire Survivors, who had only just announced that it planned to work with the publisher on an upcoming collab.
Epic’s gen-AI moves came into focus in two spaces. On the one hand, it was explained (to me via PC Gamer) that Unreal Engine 5.8 now supports a range of interactions with LLMs. Given how so many big companies are experimenting with integrating AI into their workflows, this makes a lot of sense, even if it is a bit icky.
Elsewhere on the Internet – on YouTube specifically – the studio also recently showed off how it makes Fortnite skins using generative AI as one of its tools. It is this, I think, that has caused poncle to speak out over on Reddit. Here’s the statement they shared, just hours after the collab with Epic was announced:
Following today’s news about gen AI usage by Epic to create all sort of game assets, including Fortnite characters, we’re currently “reviewing” our collaboration with Fortnite. We’ll let you know if anything moves forward.
To me, it sounds like poncle are unhappy about the idea of working with a company that might try to make any Vampire Survivors-themed assets using gen-AI. Are they seeking assurances that this won’t happen, or is the deal off based on ethical considerations?
Ultimately, time will tell. However, if poncle turns down the collab based on Epic’s AI usage, it will be a notable stand against the ongoing encroachment of gen-AI into game development, and I will certainly drink to that.
