Wizards of the Coast, the publisher of the popular trading card game Magic: The Gathering (MTG), is facing backlash from several visual artists who accuse the company of using artificial intelligence (AI) in a recent teaser post. The controversy arose after the company released a promotional image for the upcoming release of Ravnica Remastered, which some artists and fans believe contains elements generated by AI.
On January 5th, Wizards of the Coast posted the teaser image on social media, drawing heavy criticism from the MTG community. Fans pointed out various aspects of the image that they believed showed signs of AI involvement, such as nonsensical wiring in the background lights and an odd fragmentation of the gauge in the foreground. In response, the company claimed that the image was created solely by human hands and attributed the differences in style to artistic choices.
However, Twitter’s Community Notes feature contradicted the company’s statement, suggesting that the image indeed displayed clear signs of AI generation. This raised questions about whether Wizards of the Coast intentionally used AI or if it was an oversight. As of now, the company has not provided a further response or clarification regarding these allegations.
The controversy has had a significant impact on the community, particularly among artists associated with Wizards of the Coast. Dave Rapoza, a well-known visual artist with a history of working with the company, publicly announced on January 6th that he would no longer collaborate with Wizards of the Coast in protest. Rapoza criticized the company for denouncing the use of AI in December, only to apparently employ it themselves in the following month. Another artist, Jason Rainville, is waiting for clarification from Wizards of the Coast but stated that he would join Rapoza if it was revealed that AI was intentionally used in the promotional image.
The utilization of AI in the design process of MTG and other Wizards of the Coast products has been a persistent topic of discussion within the community. Technological advancements have raised questions about the appropriate level of AI involvement. Whether the Ravnica Remastered teaser image was an accidental oversight or a shift in the company’s stance on AI remains to be seen.
Dot Esports reached out to Wizards of the Coast for comment but has not received a response at the time of publishing this article.
