Fortnite issues fix after players make AI-powered Darth Vader use homophobic slurs

Fortnite was forced to implement fixes after players directed an AI-powered Darth Vader, who responds to gamers’ voices, to use homophobic and racist slurs.

The infamous Star Wars villain appeared in the game on Friday (16 May) following “close consultation” with the family of James Earl Jones, who voiced the character, Disney, Lucasfilm and Epic Games, Fornite‘s publisher.

“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 actor’s family said. “We hope this collaboration with Fortnite will allow both long-time fans and newer generations to share in the enjoyment of this iconic character.”

Jones, who had a distinctive voice, died last year at the age of 93.

Darth Vader’s Fortnite dialogue is generated using Google’s Gemini 2.0 Flash and ElevenLabs’ Flash v2.5 models, enabling gamers to ask him “all your pressing questions about The Force [and] the Galactic Empire,” a Fornite spokesperson said.

However, giving gamers access to the technology also enabled them to manipulate the model into using homophobic, racist slurs and other inappropriate phrases.

Clips shared on social media show Vader saying offensive things about LGBTQ+ people as well as “gay porn”, “Hawk Tuah” and “a Diddy party”, a reference to the allegations the rapper is facing in court. The character even swore at players.

Fortnite was quick to respond to clips of the incidents shared online, stating that “hotfixes” had been made to prevent the language being repeated.

Darth Vader was replying to the player’s prompt around “carcinogens” in this context, and we have hotfixed so he should not respond that way.

— Fortnite (@Fortnite) May 16, 2025

We pushed a hotfix immediately and this shouldn’t happen again.

— Fortnite (@Fortnite) May 16, 2025

This comes after actors’ union Sag-Aftra, which represents more than 160,000 performers, filed a legal complaint against Llama Productions and Epic Games for using AI to portray Sith lord Vader.

The union said it celebrated the right of members and their estates to control the use of digital replicas and “welcome the use of new technologies to allow new generations to share in the enjoyment of those legacies and renowned roles”.

However, a spokesperson also said the union “must protect our right to bargain terms and conditions around uses of voice that replace the work of our members, including those who previously did the work of matching Darth Vader’s iconic rhythm and tone in video games”.

The spokesperson went on to claim: “Fortnite‘s signatory company, Llama Productions, chose to replace the work of human performers with AI technology. Unfortunately, they did so without providing any notice of their intent to do this and without bargaining with us over appropriate terms.

“As such, we have filed an unfair labour practice charge against Llama Productions.”

In the filing to the National Labor Relations Board, the union claimed Epic Games “failed and refused to bargain in good faith… by making unilateral changes to terms and conditions of employment, without providing notice to the union…”

PinkNews has contacted Epic Games for comment.