Blizzard has clarified that its new Overwatch 2 sprays were made by human artists after several fans accused the company of using AI. The use of generative AI in games has been a hot-button issue lately, especially regarding Microsoft-owned studios, as the company has repeatedly and publicly expressed enthusiasm over the technology and its potential in gaming. While this is not the first time Overwatch 2 has faced criticism over alleged AI usage, the devs behind it have insisted that the latest accusations aren't accurate.

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The free-to-play hero shooter has had its fair share of ups and downs over the past few months. While Overwatch 2 director Aaron Keller has said "something huge" is coming next year and the game recently unveiled a new character, Blizzard has also walked back at least two updates after they proved controversial among fans. Now the studio is back in the hot seat, although the company denies its guilt regarding this latest scandal.

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Blizzard Says New Overwatch 2 Sprays Are "Artist-Made" After AI Accusations

A spokesperson from Blizzard told Kotaku that the elements fans had accused of using AI-generated art are, in fact, "artist-made." One of the sprays in question feature Wuyang, the new character Overwatch 2 added on August 26, playing on a PC bearing the logo for the Overwatch Championship Series, the game's revamped esports program. The other shows characters Venture and Juno standing back-to-back in T-shirts with the same branding. However, it wasn't these details that drew fans' attention, but rather, seemingly inconsistent line weight, elements not lining up, characters' eyes seeming off, and other indicators that looked like AI-generated art to some users.

An Overwatch 2 spray accused of using AI art

Despite many fans thinking these design choices were signs of AI, Blizzard's brief response denies those claims. The company did not elaborate on its design process or stance on the technology beyond that, but the game has come under scrutiny for supposedly using AI. As recently as August 2025, Overwatch 2 removed an ad for a Busan Cow plush after social media users pointed out that the background in the promotional image seemed to be AI-generated. Given that history, it's unsurprising that fans may be quick to assume Blizzard was using AI when some new artwork appeared off to some players.

An Overwatch 2 spray showing Wuyang playing competitive Overwatch

While Blizzard may not have used AI in this case, its parent company has made some massively controversial moves with the technology. In July, Microsoft replaced roughly 200 workers with AI, as it notified employees at some studios that it was attempting to grow while relying on a smaller team, specifically citing AI as a tool that would help it do so. It remains unclear how AI's adoption in gaming will proceed from here, with some companies seeming intent on using it more heavily while many gamers remain vocally against it.

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6 /10

Overwatch 2
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Top Critic Avg: 77 /100 Critics Rec: 65%
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Released
August 10, 2023
ESRB
T For Teen // Blood, Mild Language, Use of Tobacco, Violence
Developer(s)
Blizzard
Publisher(s)
Blizzard
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DIGITAL
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Shooter