The developer behind the PvP naval warfare title Modern Warships has publicly acknowledged using an independent concept artist’s design as the basis for one of its in-game ships, conceding that it copied the work without permission. Artstorm made the admission after concept artist Alex Jay Brady posted a side-by-side comparison revealing striking similarities between their original artwork and the RF Bartini A-2000-7 carrier featured in the game.
The controversy surfaced yesterday when Brady took to social media X, formerly Twitter, to highlight that Artstorm had lifted elements of an atomic ekranoplan carrier design they had created. Even those unfamiliar with naval hardware could immediately spot the resemblance between the two vessels, prompting a public exchange that culminated in the studio’s formal acknowledgment.
A Design “Cloned Wholesale”
Brady’s original concept depicted a fictional atomic ekranoplan carrier—a type of ground-effect vehicle that never actually existed. In their initial post, the artist struck an oddly conciliatory tone while making clear they had not authorized the use of their work.
“I did not give @ModernWarships permission to use my ekrano design, but I have to say she’s looking great. Much more detailed than my sketches. Honestly if they’d just asked and sent me some $$$$ Id have had zero issue with them using it. Its not too late to do the right thing guys.”
Alex Jay Brady, concept artist
In a detailed response to IGN’s request for comment, Brady argued that the resemblance went far beyond mere inspiration. “For me the design is the same, with a few minor differences,” they said, noting variations such as the placement of the AWACs radar dish and the number of engines—changes Brady speculated were made to satisfy the game’s technical requirements for symmetry.
“But as there never was a swing wing ekranoplan carrier (for good reason) and every detail aside from that is carried over from my design, it seems cut and dried. I have all the project files including, for example, the lines on the deck,” Brady continued. The artist added that the in-game vessel perpetuated fundamental flaws in their original sketch: “The design makes little sense from a realism pov; the engines wash across the deck, the planes take off backward, not into the wind, I just didn’t know anything about the subject when building it and they cloned all those mistakes wholesale.”
The Developer Responds
As Brady’s post gained traction online, Artstorm reached out directly to the artist. In a public reply on X, the studio offered an explicit apology for its actions.
“Fair call, and apologies from us. Your design was used as a reference without proper clearance. We’ll contact you directly to make this right.”
Artstorm, developer of Modern Warships
Gaijin, the publisher behind Modern Warships, confirmed to IGN that its team had responded to Brady on X but declined to provide further detail about any proposed resolution. As of now, Brady remains awaiting a concrete offer from the developer before agreeing to consider “the issue closed,” noting they would treat the incident as an unofficial piece of contract work only if compensated.
The Cost of the Bartini
The disputed ship is not freely available; unlocking the RF Bartini A-2000-7 requires players to spend between $50 and $100 on gacha-based spins, or alternatively to purchase it with in-game ArtCoins (AC). The carrier averages a cost of 7,000 to more than 15,000 AC. With the average price of roughly 1,300 to 2,000 AC sitting at around $100, a ship valued at 10,000 AC could effectively cost players between $500 and $700, depending on market fluctuations.
The plagiarism dispute arrives amid broader community frustration over the free-to-play title’s monetization model. Numerous Steam reviews have criticized the pricing of the game’s most powerful vessels, with one player writing: “This game is absolutely terrible. The developers and moderators seem to be far more interested in making money from players than in making a balanced and enjoyable game. They are thieves.”
Looking Ahead
Brady is now waiting to see what Artstorm ultimately offers before resolving the matter, leaving the outcome of the dispute unresolved. The developer has promised to contact the artist directly “to make this right,” but no formal agreement or compensation package has been announced.
As Modern Warships continues to draw scrutiny over both its business practices and its design ethics, the studio faces mounting pressure to address these concerns transparently. Until a resolution is reached, Brady’s original concept remains an uncredited foundation for one of the game’s most expensive ships.
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