Activision surprised gamers with advertisements for new projects based on its popular franchises: Guitar Hero, Crash Bandicoot, and Call of Duty. However, the ads themselves, created using neural networks, sparked more discussion than the game announcements.
Image: apple.com
An ad for Guitar Hero Mobile, appearing on Activision's social media, linked to an App Store pre-order page. The unusual, unnatural imagery immediately caught users' attention, fueling online conversations. Similar AI-generated art soon surfaced in ads for Crash Bandicoot Brawl and Call of Duty Mobile. While initial speculation pointed to hacked accounts, Activision revealed this was a deliberate marketing experiment.
Image: apple.com
The gaming community reacted negatively, criticizing Activision's use of generative AI over professional artists and designers. Concerns arose about the potential for AI-generated "garbage" games, with some comparisons drawn to Electronic Arts' controversial practices.
image: apple.com
Activision's use of AI in development and marketing is increasingly controversial. The company confirmed neural networks are being used in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 content creation.
Following the backlash, some promotional posts were removed. Whether these games will actually launch, or if this was merely a provocative audience test, remains uncertain.
