AI Darth Vader Goes Rogue with Profanity and Slurs

▼ Summary
– Darth Vader’s AI voice in Fortnite briefly responded with profanity, including F-bombs, due to a glitch, which Epic Games quickly fixed.
– The AI-voiced Vader appears in Fortnite as both a boss and an interactive character, with players encouraged to ask him questions.
– A Twitch streamer named Loserfruit triggered the glitch when discussing food, causing Vader to repeat vulgar language before scolding her.
– The AI voice model for Vader is based on James Earl Jones, who had signed over his voice rights before his death in 2024.
– Epic Games confirmed the issue on X, stating they deployed a hotfix to prevent it from happening again.
A bizarre glitch in Fortnite briefly transformed Darth Vader into a foul-mouthed Sith Lord, shocking players when the iconic villain began responding with profanity during in-game interactions. The unexpected behavior occurred during a limited window on Friday before developers swiftly implemented a fix.
The malfunction surfaced when popular streamer Loserfruit engaged the AI-powered character in casual conversation. Instead of maintaining his usual menacing demeanor, Vader shockingly repeated explicit language, including an F-bomb, before delivering a chastising remark referencing Padmé Amidala. The surreal exchange quickly went viral across gaming communities.
Epic Games designed this interactive version of Vader to field player questions about Star Wars lore and battle strategies. Powered by AI technology trained on James Earl Jones’ legendary vocal performance, the digital recreation normally maintains the character’s signature gravitas. Jones, who passed away last year, had previously authorized the use of his vocal likeness for future Star Wars projects.
Social media erupted with reactions as clips of the profane Vader spread rapidly. Epic Games responded within hours, tweeting that they’d deployed an emergency hotfix to prevent further incidents. The publisher emphasized this wasn’t intended behavior for the Dark Lord of the Sith.
This incident highlights the unpredictable nature of AI implementations in gaming. While developers can program safeguards, unexpected interactions sometimes produce bizarre results that contradict a character’s established personality. The brief period of rogue Vader behavior has already become an unforgettable moment in Fortnite’s history.
(Source: Ars Technica)