Battlefield 6 faces AI slop accusations after EA promised no generative AI content in game

Battlefield 6 fans are furious after spotting apparent AI 'slop' for sale in the game's store

A developer has previously said AI generated content would not appear in the game Battlefield 6 players are accusing Electronic Arts of selling alleged AI-generated content in the game's store. Despite a developer previously telling the BBC that generative AI content wouldn't appear in the first-person shooter (FPS), fans have spotted what they believe to be "low-quality" AI "slop" in the game's new 'Windchill' bundle. Specifically, they claim that the 'Winter Warning' player card sticker was made using generative AI tools after closer inspection shows that the pictured M4 carbine style weapon bizarrely has two barrels. "Not one person cared enough to correct it or even notice it in the first place," said one user on a Reddit post that now has over 19,000 upvotes. "I would literally prefer to have no sticker than some low quality AI generated garbage. You can look at Black Ops 7 and see how many favors AI generated rewards won with them," another Reddit user said, referring to the similar Black Ops 7 controversy. The matter is made worse by the fact that EA is selling the Windchill bundle for $10, and players aren't happy that their money is going on seemingly AI generated content. Multi billion dollar company EA selling AI generated slop in their store (Battlefield 6) from r/gaming After players spotted the faults in the wonky-looking sticker, they conducted their own investigation and found more examples of apparent AI usage. One Reddit post lists several instances where GenAI use is possible, including a bear sticker in the same bundle that appears to have a different number of paws on each paw, a weird-looking skeletal fish with a body made of shark jaws, an eagle emblem with a backward wing, and more. "There are a lot of things that don't really pass the vibe check," the player said. "I'm not saying 100% these are AI but they definitely should not have passed art review before going live. Most of these errors could be corrected in under five minutes in photoshop." We have reached out to EA PR representatives for comment but have not received a response at this time.

Battlefield 6 players suspect AI cosmetics have been snuck into the game, despite EA saying that wouldn't happen

Battlefield 6 fans are starting to suspect that generative AI cosmetics have been added to Battlefield 6, in spite of previous statements by senior EA staff stating that wouldn't happen. This controversy stems from a player card sticker included in the Battlefield 6 Windchill Bundle, a package of cosmetics offered this festive season to players of the military FPS. One sticker, called Winter Warning, features an assault rifle with a snowflake background. This assault rifle seems to be quite the futuristic weapon indeed, as it has two barrels attached. Double the fire rate, surely? This was spotted by user Willcario on Reddit, who titled their post 'Remove this AI s**t from the store', writing: "Two barrels on the M4A1, sure. I would literally prefer to have no sticker than some low quality AI generated garbage. You can look at BO7 and see how many favors AI generated rewards won with them". This led to a bit of holiday investigation from Battlefield 6 players, who went back through the library of similar cosmetics to try and find additional examples of AI use. There's no smoking gun here, but some did point to another sticker featuring a bear with ten claws as a possible naughty bit of technological tomfoolery. On one paw the bear has four claws, whereas the other paw has five. A bit of perspective magic at work, or the shadow of Sam Altman casting an evil spell on EA? Who can say. What's interesting though is that previous statements by senior staff at EA have outright crossed out the possibility of generative AI assets showing up in Battlefield 6. In an interview with BBC News Night, VP general manager at EA DICE Rebecka Coutaz stated that while generative AI was "very seducing" to use, it would only be used in the proprietary stages of game development to " allow more time and more space to be creative". A similar sentiment to Larian's CEO earlier this month, who also got hit by plenty of backlash. So is this a case where temporary AI assets slipped in, has there been a change in AI strategy in the months following EA's move to privatisation, or is this a simple case of artist error. Sometimes I still write in Americanised spelling, so maybe an artist could be on autopilot and draw two barrels on a gun? We don't know. EA nor any of the Battlefield Studios have responded to these accusations as of writing.

Battlefield 6 fans suspect EA used generative AI in a cosmetics pack for the shooter: 'I would literally prefer to have no sticker than some low quality AI generated garbage'

Image of a double-barrelled M4A1 leads to suspicions that EA is using gen AI. Battlefield 6 fans have spotted what they believe to AI-generated art in a winter-themed cosmetics pack for the hugely successful multiplayer shooter. In a Reddit post titled "Remove this AI shit from the store", user Willcario uploaded an image of a player card sticker named "Winter Warning", which comes as part of Battlefield 6's Windchill cosmetics pack. The sticker depicts a soldier aiming down the sight of an assault rifle. Upon closer inspection, however, the assault rifle clearly has two barrels, leading Willcario and other Battlefield 6 fans to suspect the sticker art is AI-generated. Accidental replication is certainly an error common among AI-generated images, as anyone who has seen AI-generated pictures of humans with far too many fingers will understand. That said, this image is the only evidence Willcario cites, meaning the mistake could potentially be down to human error. Nonetheless, Willcario makes his thoughts clear about the apparent use of generative AI. "I would literally prefer to have no sticker than some low quality AI-generated garbage," they say. "You can look at BO7 and see how many favors AI-generated rewards won with them." It's worth noting that Blops 7's apparent AI generated artwork isn't the only problem the shooter suffered from. The latest entry was led by a truly appalling campaign, while its scattershot multiplayer experience struggled to provide much that was new or interesting. Willcario's thoughts on the sticker was met with a broadly concurring response. "Well, there goes my want to keep supporting this game," wrote user Whiterun_jay. User amanisnotaface, meanwhile, said that the fact the sticker is only part of a cosmetics pack does not change how they feel about the apparent use of AI to create said pack. "Well aware I don't have to buy it to play the game, but I'm more than happy to ditch the game entirely if this is the route they go." In October, VP general manager of Dice and Criterion Rebecka Coutaz told the BBC that players would not encounter generative AI content in Battlefield 6. However, the CEO of EA has previously expressed his excitement over AI tech, while Coutaz followed up her promise by stating that AI was "very seducing" and that "if we can break the magic with AI, it will help us be more innovative and more creative." Hence, does this represent a change in perspective for EA regarding AI content in Battlefield 6? Or when Coutaz said players wouldn't see AI-generated content in the game, did she mean the release version specifically? Either way, if the sticker is AI-generated, it would surely require EA to disclose generative AI use on Battlefield 6's Steam page in accordance with Valve's policy, which the page doesn't currently do.

Battlefield 6 Is Selling Gen AI Cosmetics After Promising No Slop

The controversy comes after a promise that no gen-AI art would be visible in the game The player backlash against generative AI in gaming has hit a fever pitch as we close out the year, and Battlefield 6 is the latest target of fans' ire. Kotaku understands that EA is currently investigating accusations of AI slop in season 1's recent winter cosmetics and trying to determine just exactly how the controversial technology may or may not have been used in their production. The accusations started over the weekend when fans circulated one of Battlefield 6's new stickers from the Windchill bundle, which is currently being sold for just under $10. The cosmetic shows a character aiming down the scope of a double-barreled rifle. "Two barrels on the M4A1, sure," read one angry viral post on the game's subreddit. "I would literally prefer to have no sticker than some low quality AI generated garbage. You can look at BO7 and see how many favors AI generated rewards won with them." This led some fans to start doing an AI "vibe check" on other cosmetics in the game. While nothing as glaring as Call of Duty: Black Ops 6's six-fingered Santa Zombie loading screen has been found, it's raised questions about how widespread the issue might be. For example, there's an in-game sticker of a bear who appears to have more than 10 claws on its paws. Is this just sloppy quality control or evidence that Battlefield 6's post-launch development has been outsourcing designs to generative AI tools? An AI-generated double-barreled rifle would fun afoul of a promise made earlier this year by EA VP Rebecka Coutaz, who oversees DICE and the other teams making Battlefield. In an interview with the BBC, she promised fans they wouldn't see any AI-generated imagery in the final game, but admitted that the technology is used in the earlier phases of production "to allow more time and more space to be creative." There are a couple of increasingly common ways AI slop like this might make it into a big-budget blockbuster that's on its way to being the best-selling game of 2025. The first is that concept artists might use generative AI to create references for a design before digitally painting over those by hand. The second is that an outsourcing team EA subcontracts with ends up submitting designs for cosmetics that then slip through a rushed review process. EA has been uniquely bullish on the potential for AI to transform game development. “We view AI as a powerful accelerator of creativity, innovation, and player connection,†CEO Andrew Wilson told investors during the company’s earnings report last May. Staff across various departments, from art and QA to marketing and customer service, have been strongly encouraged to find ways to experiment with AI tools in their daily workflows. Kotaku reported just last month that the tools were used to create an entire cover for the Deluxe Edition of NHL 26. But while a double-barreled rifle might be a dead giveaway that AI was involved, other errors might simply be a result of quality control going down as teams rush to flood Battlefield 6's post-launch window with new content and microtransactions. According to a source familiar with the game's production, the scope of its current roadmap has stretched resources thin when it comes to reviewing it all for any potentially embarrassing mistakes.

Battlefield 6 gets unwanted Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 comparison as AI accusations fly against "hollow and low effort" new artwork

Stickers and menu images are believed to use generative material A number of major games from this year have come under fire for apparently using AI-generated assets in some form or another, including Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, and now Battlefield 6 might be among them. Players have discovered a growing list of instances in which artwork shows hallmarks of generative AI, leading to cynicism about its creation. One of the most prominent examples is for the spotlighted RPGs Vs Golf Carts mode in Portal. The image is a cartoon depiction of a guy in a cart, surrounded by soldiers launching rockets, and, aside from looking extremely out of place compared to the other pictures using more in-game imagery, players reckon it has the look and feel of something made with artificial intelligence. Fans have been collating further examples across EA's juggernaut FPS. These range from 'poor-looking' weapons to bizarre tags that make no logistical sense when you look at them for more than five minutes. Guns that have no trigger and an unnecessary number of barrels and parts that seem fused or melted on, and fish and other animals whose bodies have extra limbs, or straight up just look messy and distorted. One eagle's wing is flat out going in the wrong direction. While there's no way to know whether AI generated these pieces of work definitively, players find them to be sloppy and believe they put the release in a negative light. "This game was made as cheap as possible to maximize profits. It's hollow and low effort with no love or passion," says one user on Reddit. "Now I'm considering even booting up this game. Like this is just stupid. This game has barely any content how dare they give us fucking slop like that?" another asks. EA and the Battlefield studios have yet to comment on or address the use of AI. We'll update accordingly if or when that happens.

Battlefield 6 Under Fire for Allegedly Selling AI Art in Premium Cosmetics

Battlefield 6 Faces Fan Fury Over Alleged AI Art in Paid Cosmetics: Is Trust at Risk? Battlefield 6 is under scrutiny after a shocking controversy involving AI usage. Since launch, the FPS game has attracted gamers' attention, but the chord was cut after the Windchill premium cosmetics bundle was released. Electronic Arts of selling AI-generated artwork in the premium cosmetics bundle. The uproar began after fans spotted AI-like inconsistencies in one of the cosmetic sticker designs. When the game was initially launched, EA suggested that Generative AI content wouldn't come in the game's visible assets. However, the AI inclusion, specifically in the paid content, has angered players who expected premium-quality artwork and the authenticity of human-crafted design.

Battlefield 6 Fans Accuse EA of Selling AI-Generated Image After Spotting What Looks Like an M4A1 With Two Barrels - IGN

Battlefield 6 fans have accused EA of selling an AI-generated image after spotting a sticker of what looks like an M4A1 with two barrels in the in-game store. Following a similar generative AI controversy for rival shooter Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, Battlefield 6 has come under fire for selling what some fans have called "low quality AI generated garbage." The sticker in question comes as part of the Windchill cosmetic pack for Battlefield 6, which costs 900 Battlefield Coins. It includes six items, one of which is a player card sticker called Winter Warning. The red flag here are two barrels on the M4A1, but the hand position of the soldier as well as the scope do not look properly aligned. "Remove this AI s**t from the store," said redditor Willcario in a thread upvoted 4,600 times. "Two barrels on the M4A1, sure. I would literally prefer to have no sticker than some low quality AI generated garbage. You can look at BO7 and see how many favors AI generated rewards won with them." The use of generative AI is one of the hottest topics in the video game industry, with the pressure on publishers to cut costs and speed up development in order to boost profits despite the risk of backlash from some fans. Indeed, according to a report by The Financial Times, EA's new prospective owners (the ones who just spent $55 billion to take the company private) are betting on the use of generative AI to do just that. And EA itself, even before it was bought out, had signalled that it was all-in on generative AI, with CEO Andrew Wilson insisting AI is at "the very core of its business." While EA has yet to issue a statement on the Battlefield 6 allegations, fans are digging up past comments from Rebecka Coutaz, general manager of original series developer DICE in Sweden, and Criterion, the UK studio now also a part of what's collectively called Battlefield Studios, who in October said players wouldn't see anything made by generative AI in Battlefield 6. Coutaz said that while generative AI "is very seducing," currently there is no way to work it into the developers' daily work. However, Coutaz clarified that generative AI is used in preparatory stages "to allow more time and more space to be creative." While this is Battlefield 6's first significant generative AI controversy, Call of Duty has suffered a number of gen AI controversies in recent years, including the now-infamous six-fingered zombie Santa bundle. Earlier this year, Activision was forced to add an 'AI generated content disclosure' to the Steam page for Black Ops 6 after Valve changed its storefront rules. Currently, Battlefield 6 has no such AI content disclosure on Steam. And last month, Activision issued a statement in response to a player outcry regarding the seeming use of generative AI art assets in a number of areas of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. Players took to social media to complain about images they believed to be AI-generated across the game, primarily focusing on calling card images that they claimed used Studio Ghibli styling, following a trend of AI-Ghibli images from earlier this year. The Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Steam page also includes the following disclaimer: "Our team uses generative AI tools to help develop some in game assets." This week, IGN reported on video game Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, which was stripped of its Game of the Year award by The Indie Game Awards over its use of generative AI. Meanwhile, Baldur's Gate 3 developer Larian plans to address concern over its use of gen AI in upcoming game Divinity following a backlash online.