- A recent X post from FNBRUnderground claimed that Epic will now be using generative AI for Fortnite skins.
- The rumours were quickly squashed by X user Crockwing.
- It stemmed from Epic Games acquiring the German animation studio, Meshcapade, for AI research in MetaHuman and Unreal Engine.
Artificial intelligence has grown to become one of the most contentious topics in today’s world, and video games are no different. While many studios use AI tools to streamline game development, players have understandable concerns over generative AI taking over the art direction that makes their favourite titles so unique. Now, there have been rumours flying around about Epic Games seemingly looking into utilising Generative AI for future Fortnite skins.
This has sent the community into a frenzy, with many even going as far as saying they will boycott the game if generative AI is integrated into Fortnite skins. Thankfully, it has now been revealed that the rumours regarding Fortnite AI skins are largely untrue. Here’s everything you need to know about the situation.
New Epic Games Animation Studio Acquisition Leads to Fortnite AI Skins Rumours
In an X post by FNBRUnderground, the user exclusively revealed that Epic Games will be integrating generative AI into the development of new Fortnite cosmetics. The post rightfully sent shockwaves throughout the community, as the report also mentioned that Fortnite devs were frustrated with this new integration. This led to many players wondering and fearing what the future of Fortnite cosmetics could look like, especially since generative AI is not exactly known for original ideas.
However, these rumours were quickly squashed by users like Crockwing. The latter pointed out how, while Epic is getting more involved in the AI scene, it has little to do with Fortnite. The rumours initially stemmed from Epic Games acquiring Meshcapade, a German animation studio. The Meshcapade press release for this new acquisition details how the tool will be integrated into Epic’s AI research team. It clearly mentions that the AI integration will be limited to Unreal Engine and MetaHuman, with no mention of Fortnite skins throughout the press release.
Epic will likely be using generative AI to iterate on ideas for Fortnite skins, similar to how the Expedition 33 team used a few genAI assets as placeholders during development. However, this does not mean Epic be releasing AI skins in the Fortnite Item Shop anytime soon. While many are fed up with it, generative AI is here to stay, and it can provide a lot of value as a tool, especially for a game as big as Fortnite.
We believe that if Epic integrated AI into Fortnite in a way that could hurt the hard-working developers, it would definitely be a cause for concern. But, for now, players can take a sigh of relief, as Epic will still be releasing fully original skins for players to own, just like they have been since Fortnite first came out.
What do you think about this acquisition for Epic and Fortnite? Do you think it has functionality as a tool? Tell us in the comments below!
