Bungie finds itself in a tough spot as audiences accuse it of stealing fan art for Destiny 2.
Apparently, Bungie stole the idea for the cut scene from the Season of the Deep update for Destiny 2 from the digital artist, Julian Faylona.
Faylano started the conversation after he had pointed out the uncanny resemblance between his creation and the cutscene on Twitter. He asserts that his artwork, which he posted in 2020, served as a deep inspiration for the cutscene.
I just realized Bungie took inspiration from my piece for this week's cutscene. Certainly took me by surprise when I watched the cutscene.#destiny2 #DestinyTheGame #Lightfall pic.twitter.com/aSpZ4SzFL0
— Julian Faylona (ELEMENTJ21) (@ELEMENTJ21) June 20, 2023
The uncanny resemblance between the fan creation and the Bungie-produced cutscene has, as expected, riled up the loyal and vibrant Destiny community. Fans, fanning the flames of this controversy, are calling for justice.
Yet, the undercurrent of this situation extends beyond the boundaries of this particular incident. For those familiar with Destiny 2’s past, this isn’t the first time Bungie has found itself embroiled in similar circumstances. In 2021, the studio used a depiction of the knight Xivu Arath, originally crafted by the artist Relay314. Recognizing the unintended imitation, Bungie at that time termed it an ‘accident,’ subsequently striking a deal with the artist and legitimizing the use of the fan artwork.
However, the situation this time is subtly different, raising the question of the fine line between inspiration and theft. The strong reactions from fans indicate that they deem this act as more than just inspiration. The outrage hints at the much larger issue of creative ownership and intellectual property rights in the gaming world, especially when fans contribute to the content.
But, as pointed out by xXLjordSireXx on Reddit, Bungie is technically not in the wrong here. As per their argument, any and all artwork posted on Bungie’s site belongs to the studio, as per their terms.
Now, the crux of the conversation has shifted from technicality to morality. Because, even if Bungie can justify what it did, this doesn’t mean that it did the right thing. After all, is it ethical for companies to use fan art explicitly without giving due credit? The words “scummy” and “lazy” have been used to describe Bungie, as part of the ongoing discourse.
Indeed, Bungie has been known to properly credit artists in the past when utilizing fan art, as seen in the pre-showcase reveals for The Witch Queen and Lightfall. Yet, with this instance of alleged plagiarism, it’s clear that the studio’s policies and practices might not always align with the satisfaction of its fan base.
The discussion around intellectual property rights and the ethical use of fan creations is heating up in the gaming world, and this incident only adds more fuel to the fire.
The last thing Bungie will want to do now is to excuse this “theft” by saying that it used AI to generate the cutscene. If that happened, it might want to see how Disney and Secret Invasion are doing right now.
Ultimately, companies need to recognize that this isn’t just about a game, a studio, or an artist. It’s about the very soul of creativity, a call to respect the often blurred boundaries between inspiration and theft, and a test of how the companies navigate this delicate situation.
