'Fortnite' AI-Powered Darth Vader Sparks Reactions

Source: Epic Games / Fortnite AI-Powered Darth Vader / Getty Images / James Earl Jones

Did Epic Games cross the line with its AI-powered Darth Vader companion that uses James Earl Jones voice? Gamers are currently debating. The iconic actor James Earl Jones passed away last year, but his contributions to cinema, especially his iconic voice, will forever be linked to the Star Wars villain Darth Vader. Starting today, Walt Disney Co. and Epic Games will allow Fortnite players to recruit and speak to Darth Vader. Thanks to the power of generative AI, the Vader in-game character will use the late actor’s voice. Epic Games said they are doing so while remaining in “close consultation” with Jones’ family.

How Epic Games Is Bringing James Earl Jones To Fortnite

Epic Games uses Google’s Gemini 2.0 Flash model to generate Vader’s responses to players, while ElevenLabs’ Flash v2.5 model generates Jones’ voice. “James Earl felt that the voice of Darth Vader was inseparable from the story of Star Wars, and he always wanted fans of all ages to continue to experience it,” the family of James Earl Jones said in a statement. “We hope that this collaboration with Fortnite will allow both longtime fans of Darth Vader and newer generations to share in the enjoyment of this iconic character.” This decision changes the direction of the entertainment industry in situations like this. In previous Star Wars games, actors were hired to mimic Jones’ voice while he was still alive. “Epic Games and Disney have worked together to thoughtfully develop this innovative feature with a strong focus on transparency, consent, and safety — ensuring that creators, Disney IP, and players are protected in interactive experiences,” Disney and Epic said in a statement announcing the decision. As with anything, nothing goes off without a hitch. IGN reported that Epic Games had to issue a patch within an hour of AI-Darth Vader going live because videos of him dropping f-bombs hit X, formerly Twitter timelines.

Gamers do not like conversing with an AI-powered chatbot with Jones’s voice either. “We deadass having a conversation with James Earl Jones via AI…? Yea you can keep it,” one post on X read. Welp, it looks like its not going anywhere, and as long they got permission from the Jones family, we don’t see an issue, but this is still opening a can of worms for many. You can see more reactions in the gallery below.