Latest news with #FortniteBattleRoyale
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Fortnite' Using A.I. Darth Vader Is Another Step Toward the Dark Side
Darth Vader has a new enemy, but it isn't the Jedi Order reborn. It's the Screen Actors Guild. On May 16, as part of a month-long collaboration between Epic Games' Fortnite and Disney-owned Star Wars, Darth Vader was added to Fortnite Battle Royale as an optional, recruitable ally. What's unusual about Vader is that players can "talk" to him; by pressing a special button, players can say anything into their headsets to Vader, and the Sith Lord will respond using conversational artificial intelligence. The technology uses the voice of the late James Earl Jones, who played Darth Vader in the films. Epic Games wrote on its official blog that Fortnite's A.I. Vader was created with the involvement of Jones' estate: "We're honored to feature the voice of the late Mr. Jones and we thank his estate for the opportunity to make this happen for players," wrote Epic in a statement. However, the union that represents professional actors, SAG-AFTRA, says that Epic violated labor practices by failing to notify the union, "and without bargaining with us over appropriate terms." "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," reads SAG-AFTRA's statement. It should be emphasized the use of Jones's voice is not the problem here; the actor signed over the rights to his voice to Lucasfilm in 2022, and even worked with Ukranian-based A.I. firm Respeecher prior to his death. The first instance of an A.I. Vader was not Fortnite, but for the Disney+ series Obi-Wan Kenobi. Gamers asking Vader vulgar questions or making him cuss—which Epic issued a swift hotfix after players caught the dark lord dropping F-bombs—isn't the issue either. It's that Fortnite released an A.I. Darth Vader, a character otherwise performed by union members, during a major ongoing strike against video game companies by the actors' union. Adds SAG-AFTRA: "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." The union announced it filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) against Epic Games' Llama Productions. While yes, it's awfully funny to ask Darth Vader about Skibidi Toilet and Sabrina Carpenter—and in one Reddit user's case, receive an unexpectedly moving response after they told Vader about their recently deceased grandmother—AI's concerning potential to replace human artists evolves at lightspeed. Generative artificial intelligence was at the center of the 2023 dual labor strikes in Hollywood, and in July 2024, SAG-AFTRA began its strike against major gaming publishers over an industry-wide rush to adopt of A.I. Among the parties SAG-AFTRA is striking against is Fortnite's publishers Epic Games. "We're not going to consent to a contract that allows companies to abuse A.I. to the detriment of our members," said SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher in the union's July 2024 strike announcement. The real disturbance in the Force is how Epic felt emboldened to drop its A.I. Vader while it is in active dispute with the actors' union over A.I. Since 2024, Epic Games has enjoyed splashy investment from Star Wars' parent company, Disney, with Fortnite as the crux of their partnership. That a tech giant backed by one of the biggest movie studios in the world implemented a virtual novelty action figure—without concerning the labor union that advocates protections for humans from A.I.—comes across as one of the biggest gestures of arrogance yet. The future is yet to be written, but as people grow alarmingly comfortable with artificial intelligence, it may already be decided. You Might Also Like Kid Cudi Is All Right 16 Best Shoe Organizers For Storing and Displaying Your Kicks
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
SAG-AFTRA Slaps ‘Fortnite' With Unfair Labor Practice Complaint Over James Earl Jones' AI-Recreated Voice of Darth Vader
SAG-AFTRA is objecting to the use of AI to recreate the late James Earl Jones' bass intonations of Darth Vader in Epic Games' 'Fortnite.' The actors union said Epic-owned Llama Productions 'chose to replace the work of human performers with AI technology' for the Star Wars-themed Fortnite Battle Royale mini-season that launched last week. 'Unfortunately, they did so without providing any notice of their intent to do this and without bargaining with us over appropriate terms.' As such, SAG-AFTRA filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board against Llama Productions. More from Variety James Earl Jones' Darth Vader Returns to 'Fortnite' Using AI Technology 'Fortnite' on iOS Goes 'Offline Worldwide Until Apple Unblocks' App Store Release Submission Video Game Companies Remove AI Provision on Unlimited Digital Replicas From 'Best, Last and Final' Offer to Actors Union (EXCLUSIVE) Reps for Epic Games did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Jones, who died in 2024 at 93, had signed off an agreement to allow his archival voice recordings to be used to recreate his younger voice from the Star Wars films for future Lucasfilm projects. In addition, Jones' family had granted permission for the use of his voice in 'Fortnite,' according to Disney, Lucasfilm and Epic Games. '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,' his family said in a statement. 'We hope that this collaboration with 'Fortnite' will allow both longtime fans of Darth Vader and newer generations to share in the enjoyment of this iconic character.' But SAG-AFTRA said 'Fortnite's' use of Jones' AI-generated voice was not cleared by the union. In its statement, the union said, '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. 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.' Voice actors repped by SAG-AFTRA have been on strike against several game companies (including Epic's Llama Productions) since July 16, 2024. In their 'best, last and final' offer on a new contract sent to SAG-AFTRA last week, the game companies made concessions with respect to AI. The most significant of these was the removal of a one-time payment option for unlimited pre-generated content per game; with that change, performers who consent to the use of an AI-generated digital replica would receive compensation for that use comparable to what they would have received had they directly provided services. Last week, Darth Vader returned to 'Fortnite' as a Battle Royale boss, letting players scheme with the ultimate Sith Lord and speak with him using conversational AI. 'Be the first to recruit him and your whole team will be able to take turns talking to the Dark Lord,' Epic said in a May 16 blog post. In 'Fortnite,' when players talk to the Darth Vader character, Epic Games 'securely processes the voice audio to generate Vader's responses, but audio and transcriptions of the conversation are not stored,' according to Disney. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Papal 'conclave cam' is slow TV
On YouTube, hundreds of thousands of viewers around the world are staring at an unmoving broadcast of the Sistine Chapel chimney. Occasionally, a seagull will swoop in and perch atop the roof for a few minutes. But for the most part, nothing happens. On Wednesday, the College of Cardinals started the process of picking the next pope, who will succeed the late Pope Francis. This is a closed-door, sacred ritual, dating back long before mass media made it possible to quickly transmit news with so much public interest. So instead of issuing statements to the press, the conclave signals its progress to the public via smoke -- black if they have not agreed on a new pope, and white if they have come to a decision. While the smoke signal used to be for the benefit of local onlookers, there are now dozens of global broadcasters streaming 24/7 coverage of the Sistine Chapel's exterior online. There is no narration from a television host -- only the ambient noise of the packed city square, and perhaps a smattering of seagull calls. In a time when YouTubers strive to optimize every last frame of their videos to boost their chances of viral fame, the mundanity of "conclave cam" is oddly awe-inspiring. It feels like an extension of the Nordic "slow TV" trend, where public networks broadcast commercial-free footage of dull, yet calming scenes. For hours or days at a time, viewers can watch salmon swimming upstream, trains journeying across the countryside, or moose migrating to their summer habitat. Within the context of YouTube, the surrounding user interface of these "conclave cams" is familiar -- the unmoderated live chats move quickly, like a popular creator's livestream. But unlike a Fortnite Battle Royale, there's not really much to talk about in the chat. The chimney might emit black smoke, or it might emit white smoke. For the vast bulk of the broadcast, the most exciting moments occur when a bird flies through the frame. But because it's the internet, people end up arguing about politics, soccer, and Elon Musk. There's some nasty language thrown in there. In some cases, viewers will buy superchats -- bold blocks of text that are more noticeable in a busy chat -- to declare their vision for the future of the Catholic church. The point of watching a conclave livestream isn't to find out when the next Pope is selected -- that's what breaking news push notifications are for. Instead, what's alluring is the quiet. Office workers may pull up a stream in a tiny window in the corner of their laptop screen, looking over when they see a slight movement of a seagull out of the corner of their eye. When sunset hits, we watch as the sky gets darker and darker, until suddenly it's night. There's something spiritual about this gathering of strangers on a common web page, but it has nothing to do with the actual religiosity on display. It's the desire for people to experience something together -- even if that something includes an unmoderated live chat.
The Citizen
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
#TechTuesday: The 2025 Top 5 video games that will make the perfect birthday gift
#TechTuesday: The 2025 Top 5 video games that will make the perfect birthday gift If you're a gamer, you're probably no stranger to terms like respawn, levelling up, 3D graphics, and augmented reality. For the non-gamers, though, it can be quite intimidating to attempt to find the perfect gift for a gaming partner or friend. Gamers often invest countless hours (and quite a bit of money) into building their ultimate setup—complete with high-performance tech, immersive sound systems, and ergonomic chairs in a bid to maximise their gaming experience. Their dedication is real: they'll only pause for bathroom breaks, and snacks are never in short supply. If you're on the hunt for a gift that will truly impress your gamer friends, look no further. Here are five of the latest and most sought-after games that are guaranteed to make them scream with delight: Fortnite: Fortnite is a online video game and game platform developed by Epic Games and released in 2017. It has seven variations of game modes that otherwise share the same overall gameplay and game engine: Fortnite Battle Royale: a battle royale video game where the action features up to 100 players fighting to be the last person standing; a battle royale video game where the action features up to 100 players fighting to be the last person standing; Fortnite Save the World: a co-op hybrid tower defence-shooter survival computer game where up to four players fight zombie-like enemy creatures while defending objects using traps and defenses they can build; a co-op hybrid tower defence-shooter survival computer game where up to four players fight zombie-like enemy creatures while defending objects using traps and defenses they can build; Fortnite Creative: where players have complete freedom of creativity in which to create worlds and battlefields; where players have complete freedom of creativity in which to create worlds and battlefields; Lego Fortnite: an open-world series of games divided between the survival game Lego Fortnite Odyssey and the social game Lego an open-world series of games divided between the survival game Lego Fortnite Odyssey and the social game Lego Fortnite Brick Life Rocket Racing: a racing title; a racing title; Fortnite Festival: a rhythm title; and a rhythm title; and Fortnite Ballistic: an early access tactical first-person shooter. All but Save the World are free-to-play. 2. Call of Duty – Black Ops 6: Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is a 2024 first-person shooter video game co-developed by Treyarch and Raven Software and published by Activision. It is the twenty-first overall Call of Duty installment and seventh main installment in the Black Ops sub-series, following Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (2020). Set against the backdrop of Operation Desert Storm, Black Ops 6's single-player story follows rogue CIA agents Troy Marshall and Frank Woods as they assemble a group of agents to hunt down Pantheon, a paramilitary group with clandestine ties to the agency. 3. Monster Hunter – Wilds: Monster Hunter Wilds is Capcom's sixth mainline action RPG and was released in February this year. The game tracks a hunter who explores the Forbidden Lands to find a lost expedition, fighting diverse monsters across expansive biomes. Monsters respond to context-dependent factors like time and weather, enabling encounters to be richer. All of the 14 weapon classes of previous games return with new moves, and the Slinger tool has been enhanced for distant item pickup and setting off environmental traps. Multiplayer accommodates four players, and cross-play is supported between PC and consoles. Monster Hunter Wilds is a more entry-level experience with improved tutorials and mechanics without compromising on the series' core gameplay, which is monster hunting and equipment crafting. 4. Baldur's Gate 3: Baldur's Gate 3 is a 2023 role-playing video game released and developed by Larian Studios. It is the third primary title of the Baldur's Gate series, based on the tabletop fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons. A partial release of the game was released on early access for Windows and macOS in October 2020 until the full release for Windows in August 2023, with PlayStation 5, macOS, and Xbox Series X/S releases later that year. 5. Helldivers 2: Helldivers 2 is a third-person shooter cooperative video game published in 2024 by Sony Interactive Entertainment for PlayStation 5 and Windows and developed by Arrowhead Game Studios. The game is the immediate sequel to Helldivers (2015). The game is set in the 22nd century and follows the Helldivers, an elite shock troop unit deployed to combat various threats to humankind. Helldivers 2 was released on 8 February 2024 and was both commercially and critically successful, with more than 15 million copies sold. Considered to be one of the best video games of 2024, it was nominated for and won numerous awards. The news provided to you in this link has been investigated and compiled by the editorial staff of the Newcastle Advertiser, a sold newspaper distributed in the Newcastle area. Please follow us on Youtube and feel free to like, comment, and subscribe. For more local news, visit our webpage, follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and request an add on our WhatsApp (082 874 5550).
Newsweek
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Is Fortnite Down? When Will Service Resume for Update 34.40?
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Hundreds of users reported issues with Fortnite in the early hours of Tuesday morning, according to the Downdetector website, as the online multiplayer game went through a planned update. "Downtime for v34.40 begins at 4 AM ET with matchmaking ending shortly beforehand," said a post on X by Fortnite Status. It was not immediately clear how long the update would last. Fortnite's developer blog said the update "introduces the Armored Transport spawner from Fortnite Battle Royale, Rebel's Roost prefabs and galleries, and new characters and tools for those creating Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles islands." This is a developing story and more information will be added shortly.
