Player backlash against generative AI in video games has grown stronger toward the end of the year. Battlefield 6 has become the latest focus of fan criticism. Electronic Arts is investigating claims that AI-generated content appeared in Season 1 winter cosmetics.
The controversy started over the weekend when players shared a sticker from the Windchill bundle, priced at just under $10. The sticker shows a character aiming down the scope of a double-barreled rifle. A viral Reddit post commented, “Two barrels on the M4A1, sure.” Another post stated, “I would literally prefer to have no sticker than some low-quality AI-generated garbage. You can look at BO7 and see how many favors AI-generated rewards won with them.”
These posts prompted fans to examine other Battlefield 6 cosmetics for signs of AI generation, an effort dubbed an “AI vibe check.” No errors as obvious as the six-fingered Santa Zombie loading screen in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 have surfaced. However, one in-game bear sticker depicts the animal with more than ten claws on its paws. Players question whether this reflects poor quality control or outsourced AI-generated designs.
The double-barreled rifle image contradicts a promise from EA Vice President Rebecka Coutaz earlier this year. Coutaz oversees DICE and other Battlefield teams. In a BBC interview, she stated fans would not see AI-generated imagery in the final game. She added that the company uses the technology in early production phases “to allow more time and more space to be creative.”
AI-generated elements can enter high-budget games through specific paths. Concept artists may generate AI references and then paint over them by hand. Outsourcing teams contracted by EA might submit AI designs that pass rushed reviews. Battlefield 6, projected as the best-selling game of 2025, faces these risks in its post-launch content.
EA has promoted AI aggressively in game development. CEO Andrew Wilson told investors during the company’s earnings report last May, “We view AI as a powerful accelerator of creativity, innovation, and player connection.” Employees in art, quality assurance, marketing, and customer service have been encouraged to integrate AI tools into daily workflows.
Kotaku reported last month that AI created the entire cover for the Deluxe Edition of NHL 26. In Battlefield 6, the double-barreled rifle serves as potential evidence of AI use. Other issues, like the bear claws, could result from quality control lapses. A source familiar with Battlefield 6 production said the current roadmap demands extensive content and microtransactions, stretching resources thin for thorough reviews.
EA did not respond to a request for comment on the accusations.
