Is Activision Planning to Create New Big Games Using AI?

Activision recently stirred the gaming community by unveiling advertisements for new projects under its renowned franchises, including Guitar Hero, Crash Bandicoot, and Call of Duty. However, the spotlight quickly shifted from the announcements to the revelation that these promotional materials were generated using neural networks.

Image: apple.com

The initial advertisement surfaced on one of Activision's social media platforms, promoting Guitar Hero Mobile and directing users to a pre-order page on the App Store. The community quickly pointed out the bizarre and unnatural visuals in the ad, sparking widespread discussion. Shortly after, similar AI-generated artwork appeared in promotional materials for Crash Bandicoot Brawl and Call of Duty Mobile. While many initially suspected a hack, it was soon revealed that this was an unconventional marketing experiment by Activision.

Image: apple.com

The response from the gaming community was predominantly negative. Players voiced their disapproval of Activision's decision to employ generative AI over professional artists and designers. Concerns were raised that this could lead to games being filled with "AI garbage." Comparisons were even made to Electronic Arts, notorious for its contentious decisions in the gaming industry.

Image: apple.com

The use of AI in game development and marketing has become a hotly debated issue for Activision. The company has confirmed that neural networks are being utilized in the creation of content for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.

In the wake of backlash, some of the promotional posts were removed. It remains uncertain whether Activision intends to release these games or if this was merely a test to gauge audience reactions with provocative content.