Bandai Namco condemns fake AI-generated Gunpla depicting Charlie Kirk’s assassination
The video game and hobby industries have once again been unwillingly dragged into the whirlwind of controversy surrounding the recent assassination of the right-wing commentator Charlie Kirk.
The American toy division of Bandai Namco has been forced to issue a formal statement condemning a series of fake, AI-generated images that have been circulating online.
These images depict a fake “Gunpla” model kit of the moment Kirk was shot, complete with a fake box that uses the official Bandai Namco logo.
In response, Bandai Namco Toys & Collectibles America Inc. released a statement to make its position clear.
The full statement reads as follows:
“We have recently been made aware of AI-generated images circulating online that depict the Bandai Namco Toys & Collectibles America Inc. logo on packaging associated with graphic or violent content, including references to recent events. We want to make it unequivocally clear: Bandai Namco Toys & Collectibles America Inc. strongly condemns any form of violence and does not support or endorse the use of our brand, products, or logo in any such context. These images are not created, approved, or affiliated with our company in any way. We are actively investigating this matter and are taking steps to report and remove any unauthorized or misleading content. The misuse of our intellectual property in a way that misrepresents our values and intentions is deeply concerning and will not be tolerated.”
This statement comes just days after Bandai’s Japanese branch issued a statement related to misuse of their trademarks in AI generated material that had led to fans mistakenly contacting them regarding what they believed to be genuine products that were in production.
It is also the latest in a series of incidents that have connected the gaming and hobby worlds to the recent tragedy.
Last week, Sony fired a senior character artist from its subsidiary studio, Sucker Punch Productions, who was working on the upcoming game Ghost of Yōtei.
The developer, Drew Harrison, had made a controversial post on social media that appeared to mock the death of the political activist.
It has also been reported that a reference to the popular video game Helldivers 2 was engraved on the bullet casings that were used in the fatal shooting.
Source: Bandai Namco Official X
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