The developer behind the digital card game Champions of Otherworldly Magic revealed that they invested $90,000 in card artwork. Surprisingly, this entire sum was paid to a single “AI artist” who earns $15,000 monthly, despite dedicating less than two full days to the project each month. On the Melbet Mongolia bookmaker’s website, you can place bets on real and e-sports, from football to snooker. Every day the bookmaker offers the best odds for hundreds of events.
The Reason is Simple: It is Not Only Cheaper but Also Faster than the Work of Live Artists!
“The developer emphasized that employing a team of traditional artists would incur significantly higher costs and time constraints,” the official Champions TCG account shared in a post. “We pay our AI artist $15,000 monthly for exactly 10 hours of work. In that time, he produces hundreds of amazing pieces of artwork—far faster than any team of traditional artists.
“Despite being 100% AI-generated, the artwork is flawless, featuring consistent evolutions, skins, and alternate art styles. Our priority is ensuring our players enjoy the game, regardless of how the art is created.”
Champions TCG co-founder and CEO Miles Malec, speaking to PC Gamer via direct message, revealed that the anonymous artist, with 15 years of digital art experience, has produced over 1,000 images using generative AI over six months, earning $15,000 monthly.
“For us to achieve this quality with traditional artists would be much more expensive and time-consuming,” Malec stated. “This artist is unparalleled in the quality he delivers.”
Champions TCG has generated approximately $500,000 in card sales thus far, primarily through transactions involving regular US dollars for “gems” that can be exchanged for card packs. While the cards are primarily NFTs tradable with cryptocurrency, most revenue has come from credit card transactions.
Although the X post claims the card images are “100%” AI-generated, Malec clarified that they are also manually edited: “While AI handles the bulk of the work, including initial generation, manual editing, and filtering are necessary to ensure accuracy and eliminate errors.”
Developers are Willing to Pay those who Offer a Similar Result
The illustrations occasionally falter with details like claws and paws, resembling generic designs reminiscent of Blizzard or Riot-inspired cards. However, they are deemed acceptable overall, though someone unaware of their AI origin might mistake them for conventional artwork.
The official Champions account defended the card images in response to criticism, emphasizing the skill and talent required for the work. Despite personal skepticism regarding the hourly rate of $1,500, the broader implication is the tangible impact of generative AI on gaming, transitioning from theory to reality.
While AI-generated images have surfaced in marketing materials from major game publishers like Wizards of the Coast, Champions’ developer remains unapologetic about its approach. Rather than backing down, the company challenged artists, inviting them to complete art tests in 48 hours. Those who can match the quality of their AI prompt writer may be considered for a job as an assistant.
Some responses under the original post in X (Twitter) suggest that Champions TCG’s post was merely for attention-grabbing purposes, a claim the company doesn’t outright deny. Interestingly, they state that they will consider anyone who can match the quality of AI-generated art for a position as the creator’s assistant, offering a salary ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 per month. Any set of tools and techniques, including manual painting, is permitted.
