Activision Blizzard has been using generative AI to create online ads for games that do not actually exist.
VGC spotted promos for three fake titles—Guitar Hero Mobile, Crash Bandicoot Brawl, and Call of Duty: Zombie Defender—on Instagram. The ads lead to mockup app store pages on a site called Geeklab, where upon clicking “Get,” viewers are treated to the message: “Thanks for your interest! This isn’t a real game, but could be some day! 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!”
Last week, the Call of Duty publisher confirmed players’ suspicions that it was using the controversial technology to produce “some” in-game assets. At the moment, it’s unclear what those specific assets are, and it only came out because of Valve’s Steam conduct on studios disclosing if their game uses genAI in any capacity.
Most use surrounding the technology has concerned its efficiency on game development in fields like art and voice acting. In an early 2024 survey, nearly 50 percent of developers said they were using the technology at work, with most of that use concerning finances or community and product management.
Game publishers typically gauge interest for future game projects with surveys, like EA asking players if there was any appeal in remaking the Dead Space sequels. Activision Blizzard’s new “advertising” is ethically dicey, both because it’s one of the industry’s biggest publishers, and because the ads are widely promoting titles which aren’t real now and may possibly not become real in the future.
Game Developer has reached out to Activision Blizzard about the ads, and will update when a comment is given.