Activision has recently captured the gaming community's attention with a surprising move: launching advertisements for new projects based on its iconic franchises, including Guitar Hero, Crash Bandicoot, and Call of Duty. However, the buzz wasn't about the games themselves but rather the unconventional method used to create the promotional materials—neural networks.

Image: apple.com

The first 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 noticed the odd, almost surreal visuals, which sparked widespread discussion. It wasn't long before similar AI-generated art was spotted in ads for other mobile titles like Crash Bandicoot Brawl and Call of Duty Mobile. Initially, there were suspicions of a hack, but it was soon revealed to be an innovative, albeit controversial, marketing experiment.

Image: apple.com

The reaction from the gaming community was overwhelmingly negative. Players voiced their discontent with Activision's decision to employ generative AI over traditional artists and designers. Many feared that this could lead to games being reduced to "AI garbage," drawing unfavorable comparisons to Electronic Arts, a company often criticized for its gaming industry decisions.

Image: apple.com

The use of AI in both development and marketing has become a hot-button issue for Activision. The company has openly acknowledged the use of neural networks in crafting content for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, further fueling the debate.

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