TL;DR:
- Wizards of the Coast, publishers of Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons and Dragons, faced controversy over AI-generated art in a promotional image.
- Initially denying the use of AI, they later admitted to incorporating AI components into their creative process.
- The incident led to increased scrutiny from fans and a commitment to preserving human creativity within the Magic community.
- Similar AI art controversies had occurred in the past with collectible card sets and Dungeons and Dragons sourcebooks.
- In response, Wizards announced an official ban on AI-generated images in Magic: The Gathering cards.
Main AI News:
Wizards of the Coast, the renowned publishers of beloved games such as Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons and Dragons, recently found themselves embroiled in a controversy surrounding the use of AI-generated art in their promotional materials. While the initial response was denial, the company later conceded that AI components had indeed found their way into their creative process.
On January 4, the official Magic: The Gathering Twitter account unveiled a promotional image for the upcoming Murders at Karlov Manor set. This set boasted a captivating steampunk theme, and although the card art was a testament to human craftsmanship, the background art was not.
For years, Magic: The Gathering has celebrated the fantasy genre with meticulously crafted illustrations contributed by numerous artists. Many devoted fans scrutinized every image, ensuring it was the product of human hands, and this vigilance led them to detect an anomaly in the Karlov Manor image. Initially met with resistance from Wizards, fans questioned the authenticity of the art. Wizards, in a now-deleted tweet, stated, “We understand confusion by fans given the style being different than [the] card art, but we stand by our previous statement: This art was created by humans and not AI.”
However, the truth eventually emerged – the background art was indeed created by AI, a fact acknowledged by Wizards. In a statement, the company admitted, “Well, we made a mistake earlier when we said that a marketing image we posted was not created using AI. As you, our diligent community pointed out, it looks like some AI components that are now popping up in industry standard tools like Photoshop crept into our marketing creative, even if a human did the work to create the overall image.”
While the art itself originated from a vendor, Wizards pledged to uphold their commitment to human creativity within the Magic community. They reinforced their stance by stating, “We already made clear that we require artists, writers, and creatives contributing to the Magic TCG to refrain from using AI generative tools to create final Magic products.”
This incident is not an isolated case of AI art controversy within the Magic franchise. In November, Wizards faced criticism for featuring a collectible set of cards with background images suspected to be AI-generated. Furthermore, in August 2023, a Dungeons and Dragons sourcebook included an AI-generated image, prompting a statement from Wizards regarding their artist’s decision to use AI. The company reiterated that such practices would not be allowed in future projects and committed to updating its policies accordingly.
In December, Wizards officially announced a ban on the use of AI-generated images in Magic: The Gathering cards, underlining their dedication to preserving the unique human touch that has made the game an enduring success. This episode serves as a valuable lesson in the delicate balance between innovation and preserving the essence of a beloved tradition.
Conclusion:
The admission by Wizards of the Coast regarding the use of AI-generated art in their promotional materials reflects a growing tension between innovation and preserving the authenticity of beloved franchises. It underscores the need for transparency and adherence to creative guidelines, signaling a shift in the market towards greater scrutiny of AI’s role in art creation and a commitment to upholding traditional craftsmanship in the gaming industry.
