Bungie and Hasbro recently collaborated to create a real-life, dart-blasting Nerf version of one of the most popular guns from Destiny 2, the Ace of Spades. However, it was discovered that the design of the blaster was not an original creation but instead a replication of a fan artist’s work that was nine years old. The artist, known as Tofu Rabbit, was rightfully upset about this situation.
After a quick investigation, Bungie announced that they would compensate and credit Tofu Rabbit for her artwork. This was a commendable move on the part of the game company. Tofu’s examples clearly showed that her fanart had been copied, even though some modifications were made to the blaster by Bungie’s or Hasbro’s artists.
While it may be assumed that Bungie owns the original design of the blaster, Tofu was able to prove that specific details from her artwork had been replicated, including brush strokes. The Verge reached out to Bungie for an explanation, but they did not provide any. Hasbro did not respond immediately to inquiries.
Despite this, Tofu mentioned that Bungie had been polite and supportive in their private messages. She expressed hope that the situation would be resolved soon, given Bungie’s previous handling of similar issues with fan artists. This incident is not the first time Bungie or its contractors have been accused of plagiarizing Destiny fan art, but they have compensated and credited some artists in the past.
The controversy surrounding the Nerf blaster did not end with the plagiarism issue. In order to purchase the $50 replica of Cayde’s Ace of Spades handcannon, players need to achieve Legend status in the game, which reportedly requires a significant amount of grinding. Bungie has acknowledged this and promised to address the issue to make it more accessible. Existing players may already meet the requirements, but new players would face a considerable time commitment to earn the title.
It’s disappointing that such a well-designed blaster has these accessibility challenges. The six-shot revolver with two removable cylinders and battery-powered motors for blasting is one of the best licensed blasters created by Hasbro. In the past, a licensed Overwatch revolver released by Nerf did not have a revolving mechanism, making this Destiny 2 blaster even more appealing to fans.