Activision is once again at the center of controversy, this time for using AI-generated artwork in advertisements designed to gauge interest in potential new mobile games. The company has reportedly run test campaigns for Guitar Hero Mobile, Crash Bandicoot: Brawl, and Call of Duty: Zombie Defender—all of which don’t actually exist—to measure player demand before committing to development.
This practice has sparked significant backlash from gamers, artists, and industry professionals, raising concerns about the use of AI-generated assets in game development and marketing.
How Activision Used AI for Fake Mobile Game Ads
According to reports, Activision has been deploying AI-generated promotional images on platforms like Instagram and Facebook, advertising games that do not currently exist. When users click on the ad, they are directed to a mock app store page hosted on a site called Geeklab. If they attempt to “download” the game, they receive a message stating:
“Thanks for your interest! This isn’t a real game, but could be someday! We’d love if you could answer this short survey, which could help inform the potential future of this game. Your feedback really matters to us!”
Essentially, Activision is crowdsourcing interest in potential mobile games before committing resources to their development, using AI-created visuals to make the ads look convincing.
Why Are Gamers Angry?
While using test ads to gauge interest in new games isn’t new, the decision to use AI-generated artwork in the promotional materials has been widely criticized. Here’s why:
1. AI Art Often Lacks Quality and Authenticity
🔴 Many fans have pointed out that the AI-generated images used in these ads contain obvious flaws, distorted details, and an overall lack of polish typical of generative AI art.
🔴 AI-generated visuals often lack the soul and creativity of professionally crafted game concept art, leading to concerns that the gaming industry is prioritizing cost-cutting over artistic quality.
2. It Undermines Artists in the Gaming Industry
🛑 Many argue that using AI-generated art in marketing instead of hiring human artists is a bad sign for the industry.
🛑 Activision is one of the largest and wealthiest gaming companies in the world, yet they are opting for AI-generated placeholders instead of paying artists for concept work.
3. Activision’s Recent AI Usage in Game Development
⚠️ This is not the first time Activision has been criticized for using AI tools. The company recently added disclaimers to Call of Duty’s Steam pages, revealing that generative AI was used to help develop in-game assets for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Warzone.
⚠️ This revelation has fueled fears that AI-generated content could replace human developers, leading to lower-quality gaming experiences and fewer creative jobs in the industry.
