Activision Confirms Generative AI Use in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Activision, the creator of Call of Duty, has finally acknowledged the use of generative AI in the development of Black Ops 6. This admission comes nearly three months after fans voiced concerns about the quality of certain in-game assets, specifically citing a "sloppy" Zombie Santa loading screen.
Following the Season 1 Reloaded update in December, players noticed irregularities in several Black Ops 6 loading screens, calling cards, and artwork related to Zombies community events. The most prominent example was a depiction of Zombie Santa, or "Necroclaus," which appeared to have six fingers. This is a common issue with generative AI, which often struggles with accurately rendering hands.
Following increased pressure and in light of new AI disclosure regulations on Steam, Activision added a statement to Black Ops 6's Steam page: "Our team uses generative AI tools to help develop some in-game assets." This vague disclosure covers the entire game.
This revelation follows a July report by Wired, which revealed that Activision sold an AI-generated cosmetic item in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 last year, part of the Yokai’s Wrath bundle (December 2023), without disclosing the use of AI. This cosmetic cost 1,500 COD Points (approximately $15), a significant revenue stream for Activision.
The Wired report also highlighted the potential displacement of 2D artists at Activision, following Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard and subsequent layoffs within Microsoft's gaming division. Anonymous sources within Activision claimed that remaining artists were compelled to use AI tools, and underwent mandatory AI training.
The use of generative AI in game development remains a contentious issue, raising ethical and rights concerns, and prompting debate about the technology's capacity to produce high-quality, enjoyable content. Previous attempts, such as Keywords Studios' experiment with an entirely AI-generated game, have resulted in failure, underscoring the limitations of current AI technology.