At the moment, artificial intelligence is one of the touchiest subjects in the world of art. Skills that artists took years to develop can now be replicated by a well-crafted prompt and the click of a button. Recent discoveries that AI art giant Midjourney is referencing known MTG artists adds fuel to the fire, establishing a direct link between existing artists and AI generation.
Magic: the Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons stand as a pillar of man-made art, especially in the fantasy genre. Magic players are treated to some of the most beautiful pieces of artwork in the entire world, all to bring their cards to life. Dungeons & Dragons is much the same, breathing color to the imaginative minds of players who are undertaking their own journeys.
In order to ensure players of both franchises that this artful bastion will continue to be held up by people, Wizards of the Coast stated that no AI will be used in the finished product for Magic: the Gathering.
Unfortunately, AI art is still appearing in promotional images for MTG, with players of all kinds calling out Wizards of the Coast for the many questionable elements in a recent image. Fans are angry, but artists are making their thoughts known, too. One renowned MTG artist is walking away from Wizards of the Coast thanks to the mismanagement of this AI situation.
AI Issues
Last week, players began calling out Wizards of the Coast for a promotional image that appears to use AI generation. Showing off the new retro bordered Shock Lands releasing in Ravnica Remastered this Friday, the background elements of the image looked… sketchy, to say the least.
Including a pressure meter that becomes increasingly difficult to discern as you go to the right, a book whose pages seem to blend into one another, and some pipework with some questionably squashed elements, if this wasn’t AI generated, the artist’s intentions are extremely confusing. You can take a closer look at the controversial piece here.
After many players called out Wizards of the Coast for using AI, Wizards doubled down on their claims, stating that this piece has nothing to do with AI generation:
“We understand confusion by fans given the style being different than card art, but we stand by our previous statement. This art was created by humans and not AI.”
Wizards of the Coast
Fans grew angrier after this statement, as the multiple bizarre elements in the controversial image have convinced many players that, no matter what Wizards of the Coast says, this was AI generated. Even artists seem to be convinced that this was image was generated with the help of AI, as one artist walks away from Wizards of the Coast.
UPDATE: A recent statement from Wizards of the Coast has proven fans’ concerns to be true. You can read further on the statement here. Wizards of the Coast is still committed to keeping Magic AI-free despite this recent mistake.
Dave Rapoza Resigns
Perhaps the most shocking reaction to Wizards of the Coast’s AI drama was from former MTG artist Dave Rapoza, credited as David Rapoza on his many artistic contributions to the game. Dave was one of the many immensely talented MTG artists who created works for the card game. With as many as 67 different cards (including some art cards) archived on Scryfall featuring his art, David Rapoza definitely made his impact on the world’s biggest trading card game.
Many MTG fans, new and old, may have Dave Rapoza to thank for some of the beautiful artistic creations on their favorite cards. Starting work for Wizards of the Coast back in 2007, Rapoza is responsible for many different MTG artworks. For example, Rapoza is responsible for an entire scene in the recent best-selling Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth set. The nine-card Isengard Destroyed scene is entirely done by David Rapoza. That scene includes these full-art cards:
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Saruman of Many Colors
Saruman of Many Colors
Ward—Discard an enchantment, instant, or sorcery card.
Whenever you cast your second spell each turn, each opponent mills two cards. When one or more cards are milled this way, exile target enchantment, instant, or sorcery card with equal or lesser mana value than that spell from an opponent's graveyard. Copy the exiled card. You may cast the copy without paying its mana cost. -
Dunland Crebain
Dunland Crebain
Flying
When this creature enters, amass Orcs 2. (Put two +1/+1 counters on an Army you control. It's also an Orc. If you don't control an Army, create a 0/0 black Orc Army creature token first.) -
Storm of Saruman
Storm of Saruman
Ward {3}
Whenever you cast your second spell each turn, copy it, except the copy isn't legendary. You may choose new targets for the copy. (A copy of a permanent spell becomes a token.) -
Pippin’s Bravery
Pippin’s Bravery
You may sacrifice a Food. If you do, target creature gets +4/+4 until end of turn. Otherwise, that creature gets +2/+2 until end of turn.
- Fangorn, Tree Shephard
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Nasty End
Nasty End
As an additional cost to cast this spell, sacrifice a creature.
Draw two cards. If the sacrificed creature was legendary, draw three cards instead. -
Foray of Orcs
Foray of Orcs
Amass Orcs 2. When you do, Foray of Orcs deals X damage to target creature an opponent controls, where X is the amassed Army's power. (To amass Orcs 2, put two +1/+1 counters on an Army you control. It's also an Orc. If you don't control an Army, create a 0/0 black Orc Army creature token first.)
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Last March of the Ents
Last March of the Ents
This spell can't be countered.
Draw cards equal to the greatest toughness among creatures you control, then put any number of creature cards from your hand onto the battlefield. -
Quickbeam, Upstart Ent
Quickbeam, Upstart Ent
Whenever Quickbeam or another Treefolk you control enters, up to two target creatures each get +2/+2 and gain trample until end of turn.
Other recent works from Rapoza include Blanka, Ferocious Fiend,
Zevlor, Elturel Exile
Zevlor, Elturel Exile
Haste
{2}, {T}: When you next cast an instant or sorcery spell that targets only a single opponent or a single permanent an opponent controls this turn, for each other opponent, choose that player or a permanent they control, copy that spell, and the copy targets the chosen player or permanent.
, and the full art artwork for the Zendikar Rising Planeswalkers including
Nissa of Shadowed Boughs
Nissa of Shadowed Boughs
Landfall — Whenever a land you control enters, put a loyalty counter on Nissa.
+1: Untap target land you control. You may have it become a 3/3 Elemental creature with haste and menace until end of turn. It's still a land.
−5: You may put a creature card with mana value less than or equal to the number of lands you control onto the battlefield from your hand or graveyard with two +1/+1 counters on it.
,
Jace, Mirror Mage
Jace, Mirror Mage
Kicker {2}
When Jace enters, if Jace was kicked, create a token that's a copy of Jace, except it's not legendary and its starting loyalty is 1.
+1: Scry 2.
0: Draw a card and reveal it. Remove a number of loyalty counters equal to that card's mana value from Jace.
and Nahiri, Heir of the Ancients. Finally, Rapoza is responsible for the incredible original artwork on
Thought Scour
Thought Scour
Target player mills two cards.
Draw a card.
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Further clarifying his decision, Rapoza specifically has an issue with Wizards of the Coast making a strong statement against the use of AI, only to use AI generated artwork, even if by accident, in their promotional artwork shortly afterwards. If, for example, Wizards of the Coast had simply stated that AI would be used to some extent, Rapoza may not have had an issue.
Many MTG players applaud Rapoza’s decision to stand up to the AI controversy.
Rapoza asks players not to be too harsh on artists who are not leaving Wizards of the Coast over this AI controversy. Rapoza has stated that he can afford to walk away from Wizards because he has ongoing deals with other clients, freelancing for 17 years. Other artists may not have this choice, and therefore cannot afford to make this decision.
Will Others Follow Suit?
This statement from Rapoza suggests that Wizards of the Coast’s handling of this AI situation could have some serious consequences. If more artists start walking away from Magic and D&D like Rapoza did, who knows what might happen?
This is hardly the beginning of the AI controversy for Wizards of the Coast. If you want to read more about it, you can find everything you need to know here.
For now, though, Wizards of the Coast has redoubled on their promise to keep art in Magic human-made. We’ll be sure to cover that in more depth shortly.
Read More: The Most Controversial MTG Cards of 2023