Fans Fight Back: ZeniMax Facing Backlash For Using Elder Scrolls Online Fan Art in Crown Store Skin Without Permission
2023-04-12
Zenimax Online Studios is under fire after using fan art in the Crown Store skin of Elder Scrolls Online without asking for permission or providing attribution. Relan Daevath, the artist of the fan art, is understandably shocked and angered by the situation and rightfully demands recognition for their work. After a wave of fan backlash, Zenimax has responded and promised a proper resolution.
The fan artwork in question is of the character Sotha Sil from The Elder Scrolls Online. Daevath, the artist, uploaded the art to Tumblr with Almalexia and Vivec in July 2020. Recently, fans noticed that Zenimax had used Daevath’s design in their Mercymother's Body Art skin in the Crown Store without any attribution. Not only did Zenimax not seek permission from the artist, but they also did not offer any recognition or compensation for the use of their artwork.
The fans were outraged and vocalized their disappointment on social media. The TESO account itself responded, acknowledging the situation and stating that it would be in contact with the artist to come to a proper resolution. Daevath confirmed that the team had, in fact, reached out, and they are now in the process of officially sorting out the situation.
This is not the first time this has happened in the industry. Companies have historically been sued for using photographers’ work in their games, such as Capcom with Devil May Cry and BioWare with the use of a Getty image for Tali. It’s disheartening to see this happen to a fan artist, especially when the original artwork is almost exactly reproduced but with no recognition of the artist.
In conclusion, it’s heartening to see Zenimax attempting to rectify this situation. While it’s too late to undo the fact that the artwork was used without permission, it’s important that artists are given the recognition they deserve for their work. Hopefully, Daevath will be able to reach a proper resolution with Zenimax in the near future.
