A leaked video showed unreleased Fallout-themed merchandise allegedly headed to Target in November or December. One item, a Fallout-branded hot sauce, displays packaging artwork with visual anomalies: an oddly shaped fork, a napkin cupped by a knife and fork, a Deathclaw hand floating above a plate, and incorrect hand anatomy. The original poster removed the video. Bethesda was contacted but did not respond, and the artwork was likely produced by a contracted company. The incident reflects increasing use of AI-generated imagery in marketing and advertising as companies adopt AI to cut costs and speed production.
On September 2, a user on the Fallout subreddit posted a short video of them seemingly pulling out pieces of not-yet-announced Fallout-themed merchandise in a warehouse-like setting. The user claimed that the Fallout goodies would be sold at Target starting in November or December. The original video has since been deleted, possibly because the original poster was nervous about getting in trouble with Target. But Kotaku viewed the video before it was deleted, and the merch seemed real. And one item, Fallout-themed hot sauce, appears to be shipping to stores in a box that has AI-generated imagery on the back.
As spotted by PCGamesn, users in the comments below the leaked Target video began focusing on peculiarities in the hot sauce artwork. In the image, a couple is seen sitting at a table eating a Deathclaw's hand. But the man can be seen using his knife and fork to cup up a napkin. The fork looks oddly shaped, too. Others pointed out that the Deathclaw hand seems to be floating oddly above the plate. The man's right hand also seems off. All of this would lead one to believe this new Fallout merch is using AI-generated artwork.
The use of AI-generated slop has become more and more prevalent in marketing and advertising over the last two years as companies desperate to make the line go up cut corners to prove to investors they aren't being left behind as AI-powered tech continues to grow. In fact, this isn't even the first time an official Fallout-related artwork has been scrutinized by fans for
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