TLDR: Blizzard is under scrutiny as fans allege that promotional artwork for an upcoming Diablo Immortal and Hearthstone crossover event was generated using artificial intelligence. This comes despite Blizzard’s stated policy against AI in Hearthstone illustrations and previous incidents of alleged AI art use.
Blizzard Entertainment is once again at the center of a controversy surrounding the use of generative artificial intelligence in its artwork. Fans have raised concerns that a new promotional image for an upcoming crossover event between “Diablo Immortal” and “Hearthstone” exhibits tell-tale signs of AI generation. The artwork, which depicts a Warcraft character playing Hearthstone against a Diablo Immortal character, has been posted by official Diablo Immortal social media accounts, though notably not by Hearthstone accounts, possibly due to the event’s primary focus on Diablo Immortal.
Accusations stem from several visual inconsistencies and anomalies within the image. Reddit users, such as Ipyreable, pointed out a distorted ear on one of the characters, stating that “Human ears simply do not look like that, even in the fantasy universes of Warcraft and Diablo.” Other alleged artifacts include slices of bread inexplicably resting on a table without a plate, a character’s hand seemingly fading into the background wall, a candle lit with something that doesn’t resemble fire, and card backs with inconsistent swirl directions, with one card even appearing to have Hearthstone’s game board on it.
This is not the first time Blizzard has faced such allegations. Last year, the company investigated claims that pixel art skins from “The Great Dark Beyond” expansion for Hearthstone were created with generative AI. Those skins were subsequently removed in a hotfix, and Blizzard had previously issued a statement regarding its “Hearthstone illustration AI policy,” which explicitly states that “the use of generative AI tools at any stage in the development of Hearthstone illustration is strictly prohibited.” The policy emphasizes that all Hearthstone illustrations are expected to be “original creations” by the artist.
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Community reactions have been largely negative, with many expressing disappointment. One Reddit user questioned, “That’s so disappointing, and disgusting. Hearthstone’s pride is its artwork, why do this!?” The sentiment reflects a broader concern among gamers about the increasing presence of AI-generated content in the industry. Some speculate that Microsoft’s recent $80 billion investment into AI innovation, as the parent company of Blizzard, might be influencing the adoption of AI tools within its studios. Blizzard has yet to officially confirm or deny the use of generative AI in the new promotional art.
