Earlier this month, Fortnite’s Star Wars-themed Galactic Battle event reintroduced Darth Vader to the game with a twist. Thanks to an AI-generated voice based on the late James Earl Jones, players can speak to Darth Vader in real time and get the Dark Lord of the Sith to respond within certain limitations. Now SAG-AFTRA–the actors union which is currently engaged in a protracted voiceover performers strike against video game publishers, largely over the use of AI voices–has filed an unfair-labor-practice complaint against Epic Games for Fortnite’s use of Darth Vader’s AI voice.
Two years before Jones passed away in 2024, he retired as the voice of Darth Vader and signed a deal that allows an AI program to recreate his iconic voice in perpetuity. SAG-AFTRA’s filing contends that the deal with Jones’ estate doesn’t extend to other voice actors who have portrayed Darth Vader in its filing with the National Labor Relations Board.
“We celebrate the right of our members and their estates to control the use of their digital replicas and welcome the use of new technologies to allow new generations to share in the enjoyment of those legacies and renowned roles,” noted a SAG-AFTRA spokesperson via Deadline. “However, we 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.”
SAG-AFTRA contends that Fortnite’s parent companies, Llama Productions and Epic Games, committed the unfair labor act by failing to disclose its intent to replace a human performer with AI and for not coming to an agreement with the union ahead of time.
It remains to be seen if the filing will have any effect on Vader’s presence in the game. In the meantime, fans have posted numerous videos on social media that encourage the AI Vader to say off-the-wall and sometimes-offensive things.
Fortnite’s Star Wars Galactic Battle event will continue until June 7.
