Summary
Wizards of the Coast has put out a statement in response to recent accusations regarding a promotional image forMagic: The Gatheringthat fans suspect was created using AI generation tools. The use of AI-generated art has been a hotly contested topic. The main point of contention has been how its usage can be harmful to creatives in the field, with some artists even fearing that they will lose opportunities in the gaming industry due to companies opting to use AI-generated art. Due to thecontroversial nature of AI-generated art, some companies have taken a stand against the practice.
Wizards of the Coast was one company that announced a stand against AI-generated art, after some were found inaDungeons and Dragonssourcebook,Bigby Presents: Glory of Giants. The publisher made a statement to correct future printings of the book, including commissioning new art to replace the AI-generated pieces, as well as revisiting its artist guidelines to restrict the use of the technology. Despite this stance, Wizards of the Coast has been accused of using AI-generated art.
The officialMagic: The GatheringTwitter account shared an image that highlighted some of the new cards coming to the tabletop game, with the cards being framed and placed against a retro-styled background. Upon closer inspection by fans, many were suspicious that AI was used to generate the background itself, due to some discrepancies that fans had found regarding the gauge, bulbs, and other parts of the image. Wizards flatly denied the accusations in a follow-up tweet, stating that the art was “created by humans and not AI.”
This denial hasn’t convinced many followers on Twitter, as users continue to point out the art’s inconsistencies. Concerns regarding Wizards of the Coast’s noncommittal nature to being against AI art are understandable, after an incident last December where a different piece ofDungeons and Dragonsart was suspected of being generated by AI. While this incident turned out to be a false alarm, it promptedWizards of the Coast to double down on its stance against AI artforDungeons and DragonsandMagic: The Gathering.
Many fans have continued to accuse the company, some stating that even if the art wasn’t entirely done using AI, AI tools were likely used in some parts of the image creation process. With this new incident, many fans have continued to be skeptical and mistrusting of the company, not helped due to thecontroversies that Wizards of the Coast was a part of in 2023. Ultimately, Wizards of the Coast is standing by its claim that the art was made by humans and not AI.
Magic The Gathering
Magic the Gathering is a tabletop and digital collectable card game created by Richard Garfield and released in 1993 by Wizards of the Coast. Players take on the role of a Planeswalker and use various cards to battle other players by casting spells, summoning creatures, or utilizing artifacts. It features two main rule categories, constructed or limited, and can be played by two or more players at a time.
