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 considerable debate.
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, artificial imagery immediately drew attention and ignited online discussions. Similar AI-generated art soon surfaced in ads for Crash Bandicoot Brawl and Call of Duty Mobile, initially leading to speculation of a hack. Activision later confirmed this was a deliberate marketing experiment.
Image: apple.com
The gaming community reacted largely negatively, criticizing Activision's use of generative AI over professional artists and designers. Concerns were raised about the potential for AI-generated content to lower game quality, drawing unfavorable comparisons to Electronic Arts.
image: apple.com
Activision's use of AI in development and marketing is becoming increasingly controversial. The company has confirmed AI's role in creating content for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.
Following the backlash, some promotional posts were removed. Whether these games will actually launch, or if this was simply a provocative audience test, remains uncertain.
