Is Activision Planning to Create New Big Games Using AI?

Activision recently captured the attention of the gaming community by launching advertisements for new projects based on its iconic franchises, including Guitar Hero, Crash Bandicoot, and Call of Duty. However, the spotlight quickly shifted from the announcements themselves to the surprising revelation that the promotional materials were crafted using neural networks.

Image: apple.com

The initial advertisement surfaced on one of Activision’s social media channels, promoting Guitar Hero Mobile and directing users to a pre-order page on the App Store. The peculiar, almost otherworldly visuals immediately caught the eye of gamers, igniting a flurry of discussions. Subsequent reports unveiled that other mobile titles from the company, such as Crash Bandicoot Brawl and Call of Duty Mobile, were also showcasing AI-generated art in their promotional campaigns. While initial suspicions pointed towards a potential hack, it was soon clarified that this was part of an unconventional marketing strategy.

Image: apple.com

The response from the gaming community was overwhelmingly negative. Players voiced their discontent with Activision's decision to employ generative AI over human artists and designers. Concerns were raised about the potential degradation of game quality to "AI garbage," with some drawing unfavorable comparisons to Electronic Arts, notorious for its contentious moves in the gaming world.

Image: apple.com

The utilization of AI in both development and marketing has sparked heated debates within Activision. The company has openly acknowledged the integration of neural networks in content creation for their upcoming title, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.

In response to the backlash, some of the promotional posts were removed. It remains uncertain whether Activision intends to follow through with these game releases or if the AI-generated ads were merely a bold experiment to gauge audience reactions.