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Darth Vader Speaks Again: James Earl Jones’ Iconic Voice Returns in Fortnite AI Experience
Fortnite just turned to the Dark Side—in the coolest way possible.
On May 16, Darth Vader reentered the Fortnite universe, not just as a fearsome boss in Battle Royale, but as an interactive AI you can literally talk to. Thanks to a groundbreaking collaboration between Disney, Epic Games, Lucasfilm, and the family of James Earl Jones, players can now chat with the legendary Sith Lord and hear him respond using the unmistakable voice that defined the galaxy’s greatest villain.
Related: Disney and Epic Games Unite to Bring Your Favorite Characters to Fortnite
This is no ordinary NPC interaction. With real-time AI-generated responses powered by Google’s Gemini 2.0 Flash model and ElevenLabs’ Flash v2.5 model, players can ask Darth Vader questions about the Force, the Galactic Empire—or even tactical advice for surviving the final Storm circle. Vader has thoughts, and he’s ready to share them… as long as you press the special “Talk to Darth Vader” button that appears during gameplay.
But what makes this even more powerful is the voice behind it. In collaboration with the late James Earl Jones’ estate—following his passing last year—this new feature ensures that the voice fans have associated with Darth Vader for decades continues to echo across generations. “James Earl felt that the voice of Darth Vader was inseparable from the story of Star Wars, and he always wanted fans of all ages to continue to experience it,” said the Jones family in a shared statement.
This AI experience isn’t just cool—it’s been designed with transparency and responsibility in mind. Players under 13 (or under their local digital age of consent) need parental permission to speak with Vader, and no audio or transcripts of the conversations are stored. Plus, players can report any inappropriate responses, ensuring the Sith stays on his best behavior—at least, as much as Vader ever does.
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Disney EVP of Games and Digital Entertainment Sean Shoptaw emphasized the legacy and care behind this project: “James Earl Jones’ legendary vocal performance is a defining element of what makes Darth Vader so iconic… this experience shows how we responsibly embrace emerging technologies to expand storytelling.”
This marks one of the most ambitious Star Wars crossovers in Fortnite history, and according to Epic Games President Adam Sussman, “a new and immersive way for players to interact with a legendary Star Wars character.”
So go ahead, press that button. Just be careful what you ask him—he is a Sith Lord, after all.
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