Activision Faces Backlash Over AI-Generated Ads for Nonexistent Mobile Games

The company uses generative AI to test interest in hypothetical titles, raising concerns about transparency and artistic integrity.

Activision has released AI-generated advertisements for potential mobile games, including Guitar Hero Mobile, Call of Duty: Sniper, and Crash Bandicoot Brawl, which do not currently exist.
The ads, appearing on platforms like Facebook and Instagram, redirect users to surveys gauging interest in the hypothetical games rather than actual download pages.
Players criticized the use of AI-generated art in the ads, citing poorly designed visuals and questioning the company’s decision to forgo human artists.
Activision confirmed its use of generative AI tools in developing some in-game assets for Call of Duty but did not clarify the extent of AI’s role in these projects.
The marketing strategy has sparked concerns about transparency and whether Activision plans to officially develop the advertised games in the future.