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Games publisher Activision has faced renewed criticism for using AI generated images for its promotional campaigns for Guitar Hero, Crash Bandicoot and Call of Duty. The company had already faced a backlash for use of automated artwork last year.
Well, it seems like the AI slop is here to stay, folks!
Despite receiving an extensive amount of backlash for its use of auto-generated artwork within its intellectual properties last year, Activision has doubled down in new campaigns for some of its mobile franchises.
Artwork for mobile versions of Guitar Hero, Crash Bandicoot and Call of Duty have all been posted online featuring AI artwork. Take this promotional image for Guitar Hero Mobile that can be found on Instagram, for example.
View this post on Instagram
On first glance it may seem like an actual, human-made piece of artwork, but the closer you look, the more obvious the AI becomes.
What’s going on with the speakers in the background? Why are they misshapen and wonky, like we’re looking at them through a submarine window underwater? Why are there four guitar players and no singers? Why is the ‘drummer’ a nondescript shape that melts into the background? Why are the symbols intended for players to hit inconsistent in shape and style, with the wrong colour scheme?
The top comments on this particular post are telling, too. ‘AI Hero looks awesome,’ says one user. ‘Nice AI,’ says another. The imagery is clearly not made by an actual artist, cheapening both Activision’s marketing campaign and the IP itself. Not a good look.
According to 80.lv, Activision has also been found test running AI advertisements for two fictional mobile games, Crash Bandicoot and Call of Duty. While neither have been announced publicly, these test images are likely being used to determine interest in these properties, as they link back to a Geeklab page.
OFFICIAL: Activision is currently looking into making a new COD Zombies mobile game. The kicker?
They’re using AI Generated advertisements in order to garner interest on it.
Full story below:
Recently, an official Call of Duty Instagram ad has been posted a few hours ago… pic.twitter.com/CQeQYiVwFq
— COD: Zombies News (@MargwaNetwork) February 28, 2025
Activision faced a ton of angry feedback last year when it was found to be using AI in its latest Call of Duty entry, Black Ops 6. A ton of assets, including prestige emblems, in-game item symbols, and even loading screens were found to be at least partially auto-generated. The biggest offender was a zombie Santa Claus that had six fingers.
These latest developments seem to suggest that the publisher is not fazed by any of this angry pushback, and intends to continue onward with its AI imagery.
Sadly, if you’re a fan of the gaming industry, none of this is likely to come as a shock. Video game publishers will take any opportunity to cut costs and milk consumers for cash, often jumping onto the latest trend for the sake of market capital – even when it makes no sense.
Ubisoft infamously tried to launch a ‘Quartz’ feature that would use NFTs inside games in 2022, despite literally everyone hating it. Microtransactions, battle passes, locked DLC, deluxe edition season passes, the list goes on. If there’s a possibility of swindling customers, you can guarantee a greedy publisher will be there to seize the opportunity.
