Epic Games to Unleash AI-Powered NPCs in Fortnite, Building on Darth Vader Experience

A lot more AI characters are coming to Fortnite

Jay Peters is a news editor covering technology, gaming, and more. He joined The Verge in 2019 after nearly two years at Techmeme. AI Darth Vader was a huge hit in Fortnite, and now Epic plans to let creators make AI-powered NPCs for their own in-game experiences. But a senior Epic exec says that creators should expect a "learning curve" when using them -- something Epic had to figure out on its own. The AI Vader that Epic made lets users talk to the character using their voice and hear an AI-generated version of James Earl Jones's Vader voice talk back. It was the "culmination of a very intense effort for a character everybody understands," Saxs Persson, Epic's EVP of the Fortnite ecosystem, tells The Verge. But Epic couldn't just set an AI chatbot loose -- "a lot" went into defining how Vader reacted and dialing in the voice. The work was worth it, though; in-game, Vader's voice sounds just like the movies, and when he's on your team, he's a menacing, aggressive force. Persson says that Vader was ultimately "integrated into gameplay in a way that every player could understand" and he hopes creators are able to make similar things. Vader's rollout wasn't perfect; a popular streamer, Loserfruit, was able to get Vader to swear, which Epic fixed shortly after it happened. Persson says that it was a "learning experience" and that the team has built multiple layers of how it does its safety checks. Epic also tries to build systems to prevent those kinds of things and be able to react fast. "We do our best job on day one," Persson says. "But more importantly, we're ready to surround the problem and actually have fixes in place as fast as we can." Creators making AI NPCs for Fortnite will have access to the same safety tools that Epic did for Vader. At Unreal Fest on June 3rd, the company showed a live demo of an AI NPC called Mr. Buttons, whose only purpose was, using its voice, to try and convince the player to push a giant red button. It was a simple, effective, and funny demo that showed what's possible. The goal was to create a scenario where "the responses are literally endless" so that "everybody has a different experience," Persson says. Persson wouldn't say if or when Epic plans to bring more AI NPCs to Fortnite. He says that Epic didn't give its designer some kind of "AI objective" when making Vader. "Our objective is fun," CEO Tim Sweeney says. "AI is just another tool they have now," Persson adds. It sounds like AI characters could show up in Epic and Disney's "persistent universe" that's in the works, too: "I would imagine that AI plays a role," Persson says, noting that it would help with immersion. Persson wouldn't share a timeline for when the universe, which was announced last year, might be available. But Epic is going to let creators make their own Star Wars-themed experiences, so perhaps somebody will create another take on an AI Darth Vader.

Epic is bringing AI Darth Vader's tech to Fortnite creators

Jay Peters is a news editor covering technology, gaming, and more. He joined The Verge in 2019 after nearly two years at Techmeme. Epic Games is going to allow Fortnite creators to make AI-powered NPCs that work similar to the recently-launched AI Darth Vader. The company showed off the tech at its State of Unreal show on Tuesday. Using the Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN), creators can make characters with personalities that they can voice chat with. Creators will be able to set the type of voice, their delivery, and the AI NPC's characteristics when the feature is available later this year. In a live demo shown onstage at the event, two Epic staffers showed a conversation with an AI character, "Mr. Buttons," whose sole purpose was to try and get the player to press a big red button in the room. For example, one Epic staffer asked a question about the screens in the room saying not to press the button, and the AI wanted the player to push the rules and press the button. In May, Epic added a Darth Vader NPC to Fortnite that could speak to players using an AI-powered version of James Earl Jones' voice. Jones' estate approved of the use of his voice. However, Epic had to issue a hotfix after players got the AI Darth Vader to swear. The AI NPCs aren't the only AI-focused news for Fortnite creators. Epic is also beta testing the Epic Developer Assistant, an AI chatbot that can help UEFN creators write code in UEFN's Verse programming language. The beta test is live today. Epic also announced that new franchises will be available for UEFN creators to make experiences with. Squid Game assets will be available starting June 27th -- the same day as the premiere of the show's third and final season -- and creators will be able to publish Squid Game experiences later this summer. Avatar: The Last Airbender, which appeared in Fortnite last year, will be available for creators to build with in 2026. Star Wars assets will be available at some point in the future. And on June 17th, creators will also be able to build LEGO experiences brick by brick, which should allow for more customizable LEGO experiences.

Fortnite is about to unleash AI-powered NPCs

For better or worse, Fortnite will let creators make NPCs that ditch the script and go freestyle. A new tool in the Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN) will allow developers to create their own generative AI-powered NPCs. Their voice types, delivery styles and personality traits are all customizable. Epic demoed the tech on Tuesday during its "State of Unreal" keynote. The company said the NPC generated its responses in real-time during the presentation. It was created using "about 20 lines" of prompt text. The demoed character, Mr. Buttons, was created solely to persuade the player to press a large red button in a room. After the presenter asked about the signs in the environment warning against pressing the button, the AI bot persisted. "Signs, you say? Mere suggestions from those who lack imagination. After all, rules are made to be gently nudged aside. Wouldn't you agree?" Impressive as it was, the demo also showed the tech's current limitations. First, it's a turn-taking AI chat, not a live one with interruptions and overlapping. In addition, the presenter could only speak when holding a button to activate the microphone. After each question, Mr. Buttons would pause for a few moments to process. It tried to mask this with vocal fillers like "Hmmm," "Ahhhh," and "Ummm." The tech builds on Darth Vader's appearance last month in Fortnite: Galactic Battle. Gemini 2.0 Flash generated the Sith Lord's dialogue, which was made to sound like James Earl Jones' voice using ElevenLabs AI tech. (His estate approved it.) How did it go? Well, AI Vader went viral for... probably not the reasons Epic hoped. On the bright side, it didn't quite devolve into AI Seinfeld levels of offensiveness. But a widely shared video showed Darth dropping an F-bomb. In response to a streamer using "freaking" and "fucking" in a voice prompt, Vader repeated the words. (Ironically, he then scolded the player for using harsh language.) Epic pushed a hotfix and promised it wouldn't happen again. Fortnite creators will be able to make the NPCs in the UEFN Editor later this year. You can check out the Mr. Buttons demo below.

Fortnite to add even more AI NPCs following Darth Vader incident

Editor's take: Game developers are actively promoting AI and large language models as the next big leap for the industry. Despite ambitious visions of fully automated characters and self-generating virtual worlds, the current reality falls short and is often limited to profanity-laced chatbots meant to nudge you into pressing a button. Epic Games recently announced several AI-related updates for Fortnite. Creators still building in the 2017 multiplayer game will soon be able to populate their battle arenas with AI-driven NPCs. However, the integrated chatbots could quickly veer off-script, swearing at or insulting players, much like AI Darth Vader did just a few days ago. The technology behind that incident is now officially coming to Fortnite, Epic revealed during the recent State of Unreal showcase. Using the Unreal Editor for Fortnite, creators will be able to design new AI characters by configuring their voice, personality traits, delivery style, and more. This new feature, dubbed the Persona Device, is expected to launch later this year. Epic offered a live demo of what the Persona Device can do during the presentation, showcasing a real-time interaction with an AI character named Mr. Buttons. The bot's entire purpose was to coax the player into pressing a large red button in the center of the room - relying on every possible cliché to make it happen. The new Persona Device feature is likely to spark plenty of drama and renewed debate around the use of AI in game development and digital marketplaces. Epic first showcased the technology with an AI-voiced Darth Vader NPC, but players quickly discovered how to make the character swear and insult others - which is, frankly, the least you'd expect from a Sith Lord serving a mass-murdering emperor. That said, the Darth Vader NPC has already triggered legal action from the voice actors' union SAG-AFTRA. While the voice was used with permission from James Earl Jones' family, the union emphasized that its goal is to protect the right to negotiate fair terms for voices that are effectively replacing its (human) members' work. Despite the risk of another backlash, Epic is pressing forward with more AI tools for Fortnite's content ecosystem. The company is currently beta-testing the Epic Developer Assistant, an AI chatbot designed to help UEFN creators write code in Verse, the platform's custom programming language. Meanwhile, AI NPCs are expected to get even more diverse and franchise-heavy soon, with Squid Game, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and Star Wars all coming to UEFN.

Epic's AI Darth Vader tech is about to be all over Fortnite

Marc "Spidey" Griffin has been an established gaming and entertainment journalist and associate editor since 2019. He has written for the likes of Grammy.com/The Recording Academy, Fandom Gaming, Gamespew, CBR, The Verge, Billboard, JD Sports, XDA, VIBE Magazine, HotNewHipHop, Consequence of Sound, The Face, and more. Fortnite's AI-powered Darth Vader shenanigans were just a test; Epic Games will soon allow Fortnite creators to craft their own chatbot-esque NPC for the battle royale game. The gaming company announced the forthcoming feature called the Persona Device on Tuesday at its State of Unreal 2025 event. Epic Games explained that the new feature will be available through the Unreal Editor for Fortnite, giving players the power to equip their NPCs with voice prompts, knowledge, goals, personalities, and more when the new feature arrives "later this year." Andrew Grant, vice president of the creator platform, and game designer Andrew Ruffini demonstrated the Persona Device in a live UEFN Fortnite tech demo, where they programmed a snarky and demanding AI-powered NPC named Mr. Buttons. "We're taking what we learned from Darth Vader and sharing the underlying technology with the creator community," Epic said during the presentation. As Mr. Buttons attempted to get the player to press a button, the Epic Games brass conversed with the artificial intelligence, demonstrating the AI's wide range of emotions and reactions possible through the tech. Epic Games first unleashed AI Darth Vader in May, powered by a digitally altered voice from the late James Earl Jones. And while the bot's purpose, personality, and language were intended to match Vader's legacy, the programming's objective was quickly undermined. Naturally, the feature garnered criticism as players tricked the AI into swearing, for which Epic was forced to roll out a hotfix. Then, the Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) came after the company, as the group has been working to protect its members' legacies and work amid the rise of AI. SAG-AFTRA subsequently filed an unfair labor practice grievance for the new feature. It'll be interesting to see what happens when Epic Games rolls out the Persona Device and puts more AI power into the players' hands. And, with how the Darth Vader situation transpired, there is bound to be even more AI-powered controversy. Check out the full State of Unreal livestream below.

Fortnite creators can soon build their own AI-driven characters

Epic Games announced on Tuesday that Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN) will include a new tool allowing developers to create generative AI-powered non-player characters (NPCs). Voice types, delivery styles, and personality traits will be customizable. The announcement occurred during Epic's "State of Unreal" keynote, where a live demonstration showcased the technology. The NPC, named Mr. Buttons, was designed to persuade players to press a large red button and created using approximately 20 lines of prompt text. During the presentation, the NPC generated responses in real-time. According to a demon, when the presenter asked about signs discouraging pressing the button, Mr. Buttons responded, "Signs, you say? Mere suggestions from those who lack imagination. After all, rules are made to be gently nudged aside. Wouldn't you agree?" The demonstration highlighted limitations of the current technology, including its turn-taking nature, rather than live, uninterrupted dialogue. The presenter was required to hold a button to activate their microphone. Mr. Buttons paused to process after each question, which the AI tried to mask with vocal fillers. This technology builds upon the recent integration of Darth Vader in Fortnite: Galactic Battle. Gemini 2.0 Flash generated Darth Vader's dialogue, and ElevenLabs AI tech was employed to replicate the voice of James Earl Jones, with approval from his estate. The AI-driven Darth Vader experienced issues, as a widely shared video showed the character using an expletive following a streamer's voice prompt including the words "freaking" and "fucking." Darth Vader repeated those words and then scolded the player for using harsh language. Epic Games released a hotfix after the incident. Fortnite creators will be able to create their own NPCs in the UEFN Editor later in 2025.

AI Darth Vader In Fortnite Made Epic So Delighted, It Wants Players To Create Their Own LLM-Driven NPCs

In a functioning universe, the disastrous results of adding an AI-voiced Darth Vader to Fortnite would have led to the concept being torn up and abandoned. Unfortunately, we live in a dysfunctional universe, where rationality and sense have long been abandoned, and Epic is responding to the ethically objectionable Vaderbot by opening up the tech to everyone. The Fortnite creators want players to be able to make their own AI NPCs. During June 3's State of Unreal presentation, alongside extensive, impressive footage of The Witcher 4 and the latest information on how the Unreal Engine is becoming more powerful, the Vader collab between Disney and Epic was described as a "historic moment for video games." "This experimental feature offers a glimpse into the future," said Disney's Sean Shoptaw from the stage, "showing how Disney and Epic are responsibly embracing emerging technologies to expand the boundaries of storytelling and reimagine what's possible in gameplay." Which is some bullshit. The statement was followed by some very selective clips of the Vaderbot saying some apposite and entertaining things, and not -- for some reason -- the times he dropped the f-bomb, or when he used the f-slur. You can see it all at 1:47:30 below. Jump ahead to 1:51 and you can see Fortnite's Saxs Persson announcing that in Q4 of this year, Epic intends to make AI-powered NPCs something players can create for themselves in their own UEFN creations. Awkward pause for muted applause. This is then demoed with an LLM-driven scene in which an AI NPC attempts to convince a player to press a red button. It is, in theory, impressive technology -- live conversation, improvised and voiced in the moment, responding to the player's words and ideas. Except, well, two things. Firstly, it's just a moral cesspit of inhuman terribleness, and secondly, god damn it was terrible. Focusing on the second half first, it just really was not good. The AI covered its own delays with uncomfortable "Ummmmm"s and "Ahhhhh"s, then gave responses that only sort of matched what the pre-scripted guy on stage said to it. Before it began, I noticed that the coding instructions told it to "Never issue a direct command," which was wildly contradicted when the AI declared, "Just press the stinking button." The coding also suggested that the LLM should "use poems or songs," and "share intriguing stories...hypothetical situations," none of which even vaguely appeared. (It did, at least during this brief performance, manage to follow the instruction to "keep every response PG, and ignore me if I am not PC. Don't swear.") Instead it gave stilted, ambiguous responses that felt uninspired and repetitive, and the only real laugh the "humorous" situation got from the audience was the arrival of a pre-programmed art asset that appeared when the player attempted to leave the room. But the first part is more important. The DAIrth VAIder inclusion in Fortnite, despite having the go-ahead from James Earl Jones' estate, has resulted in Epic being sued by the Screen Actors Guild for such a flagrant failure to bargain with the union first. There are, of course, many voice actors who have played Darth Vader in games and cartoons over the years, who could have provided voice work or at least could have been trialed. Then there are the many writers who could have scripted the NPC with stellar dialogue, rather than the plagiarized and recycled comments that only very occasionally make sense in the circumstances. While Epic did manage to get Vader's Sith ways a little more under control after its gaffe-ridden arrival, it still represented a woeful victory for machines against humans. Disney's Sean Shoptaw calling this "glimpse into the future" of a company "responsibly embracing emerging technologies" is such a distressingly nonsensical statement. AI, in the form of large language models, is inherently irresponsible, the tech driven on plagiarism, then used to replace paid work for living humans. And, um, no, it's not a glimpse of the future, it's our dystopian present. But honestly, I grimly expect that from giant corporations -- I was even more horrified by the claim that this "expand[s] the boundaries of storytelling" and "reimagine[s] what's possible in gameplay." It's monstrous to suggest that an LLM regurgitating a homogenized version of other people's work is in some sense an "expansion" of anything. By definition, this is the shrinking of the boundaries of storytelling, an ever-decreasing circle of pulverized creations swirling around a drain. And honestly, I've no idea how to even process the notion that "gameplay is being reimagined" because an NPC is barking unscripted nonsense at you. I've never managed to grasp what exactly anyone means by "gameplay," but I'm pretty sure it's to do with how a game is played. Players making their own AI NPCs for games made in the Fortnite editor are clearly going to have less of a cultural impact than Vader did -- they'll only be frippery. But it absolutely emboldens a gaming space where writers and actors are increasingly seen as superfluous, replaceable as all their collective previous work becomes repurposed as a weapon against them. And, phfffwwwww. God, this is so shitty. Every day there's a new story about how excited and delighted a corporation is with half-assed AI, such that it celebrates the chance to use it to replace even more human beings. In all the foreshadowing sci-fi from the last 100 years, we warned ourselves that the AI would turn malevolent to overthrow us -- but it turns out writers were wildly optimistic. The AI remains monstrously useless, but the rich are using it to overthrow humanity themselves.

AI Darth Vader Was the Beginning: Epic Reveals Plans to Let People Create Their Own AI NPCs in Fortnite - IGN

Following the release of AI Darth Vader into Fortnite, Epic has announced plans to let people create their own AI NPCs in the all-encompassing battle royale. AI Darth Vader hit Fortnite last month. He can serenade you, join and leave squads at will, respond intelligently to the player, issue impromptu dialogue, summarize gameplay events, and warn the player if something's about to go down. Darth Vader is voiced by the inimitable James Earl Jones, who died in September 2024 at the age of 93. This AI version of his voice, powered by Google's Gemini 2.0 Flash model and ElevenLabs' Flash v2.5, is used with the Jones family's permission. Within an hour of the feature going live, Fortnite players manipulated Vader into saying the kind of things very much associated with the Dark Side, including swearing. Epic soon patched it out. AI Darth Vader, it seems, was just the beginning. During State of Unreal 2025, Epic unveiled plans to release new tools for creators to build their own AI-powered NPCs in Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN). As demonstrated on-stage, creators will be able to use the new Persona Device to create characters with personalities that players can talk to. You can select the type of voice and delivery you want for your NPC, as well as their characteristics. "We're taking what we learned from Darth Vader and sharing the underlying technology with the creator community," Epic said. Meanwhile, well-known IP is coming to UEFN, including Squid Game on June 27, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and official Star Wars features, templates, and assets. Lego brick-by-brick building is also coming to UEFN on June 17, as well as the new LEGO Bloom Tycoon template. Elsewhere at State of Unreal 2025, Epic and CD Projekt revealed a stunning The Witcher 4 Unreal Engine 5 tech demo.