Fortnite replaces Meow artwork after Google Gemini watermark appears in track image
Epic Games updated Fortnite’s Meow track artwork after players spotted a Google Gemini watermark in the original image.
According to reports, the watermark appeared in the bottom-right corner of the artwork and was also present in the original version on Spotify. That suggests the issue likely originated in the source material before Epic Games used the image in Fortnite.
What happened
The in-game artwork for "Meow" was quietly replaced after players on social media and Reddit pointed out a visible Google Gemini watermark in the original version. The track comes from Ironmouse, Sleeping Forest and HalaCG and was added to Fortnite last month.
The reported watermark was in the bottom-right corner of the image. Because the same mark was also said to appear in the original Spotify version, it seems the source image may already have been delivered with that watermark. Reporting also suggests the replacement was already visible by the morning the IGN article was published.
Epic Games has not issued a formal statement in the available reporting about the replacement or the image’s origin. Still, the change fits into a broader fan debate about possible AI use in Fortnite artwork. The available sources also note that the discussion on social media and Reddit was fueled by screenshots of the original image, where the Gemini watermark was clearly visible.
Who created the original artwork for "Meow" has not been confirmed in the available sources. It is also unclear whether Gemini was used intentionally or accidentally when making the image. The reporting therefore mainly shows that the visible mark was noticed and then removed, but not who supplied the source image.
Timeline
Last month — Epic Games adds the track "Meow" by Ironmouse, Sleeping Forest and HalaCG to Fortnite.
Last weekend — Players report a Google Gemini watermark in the artwork on social media and Reddit, with the mark reportedly in the bottom-right corner of the image.
After that — The original image is replaced with an edited version without the visible Gemini watermark; IGN says the change was already visible by the morning of publication.
Earlier — Fans had already criticized suspected AI art in Fortnite, including a poster featuring a nine-toed figure in a hammock.
Recently — In an official developer video, Epic Games reportedly shows that it is testing AI in the concept phase for characters and in-game locations.
Background
The "Meow" discussion adds to earlier fan concerns about AI-generated or AI-assisted art in Fortnite. In a recent official developer video, Epic Games reportedly showed that it is testing AI in the concept phase for characters and in-game locations. That makes the reaction to the Meow artwork especially sensitive, since the topic had already been debated within the community.
The earlier criticism referenced in the reporting centered on a poster with a nine-toed figure in a hammock. That example is used as part of the broader fan suspicion, but the available sources do not confirm that specific image was definitively AI-generated. The Meow case is therefore seen mainly as another flashpoint in the same debate, rather than a separate issue.
The available sources also do not confirm who made the original artwork or how the Gemini watermark ended up in it. It remains unclear whether the image was created with an AI tool or whether the watermark was accidentally left in the source file. The reporting does suggest the problem was already present in the submitted version, since the same mark was reportedly visible on Spotify.
For now, there is no formal statement from Epic Games in the available reporting. It is therefore unclear whether the company replaced the image as a precaution, at the artists’ request, or after an internal review. The only firm conclusion in the sources is that the artwork was changed after players noticed the watermark.
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Sources
- IGN: reporting on the updated Fortnite artwork for "Meow" after a Google Gemini watermark was discovered.