Summary
Activision has officially announcedGuitar Hero Mobile, but fans quickly noticed that the game’s promotional image features AI-generated art. WhileGuitar Herofans have been anxiously awaiting a new title in the rhythm game series for years, the use of artificial intelligence to market the new title has soured what should have been an exciting reveal.
First released for the PlayStation 2 in 2005,Guitar Heroquickly became a gaming phenomenon, with players tasked with pressing the correct keys on a guitar-shaped controller at the right time during a song to complete each level. It didn’t take long for the game’s popularity to skyrocket, with many sequels and expansions released over the past two decades. In 2024,Microsoft Gaming boss Phil Spencer commented onGuitar Hero, lamenting his choice to pass up the opportunity for Xbox to publish the series. Years have passed since the last entry in the franchise, but it looks like players will soon be able to rock out to some new tunes. Unfortunately, the game’s publisher may have botched the good news.
Fans were excited to see the announcement forGuitar Hero Mobilewhen it was posted to Activision’s Instagram account on February 28, but it didn’t take long for many to notice a particularly glaring issue with the promo image. The announcement clearly features AI-generated art, and many franchise fans pointed this out in the comments, with some expressing disappointment for the decision and others promising not to buy the game when it launches. “The note tracks aren’t even the right color, and there are multiple colors mixed on the same track,” user bennicus wrote. “Shows how much effort went into this when you can’t even get your own game right.” Despite this, the return of the series on mobile devices did resonate with some users, thougha fullGuitar Heroremakedoesn’t seem to be in the cards at this point.
Guitar Hero Mobile Announcement Features AI-Generated Art
SeveralGuitar Hero Mobiletitles have been released in the past, including those for the once ubiquitous BlackBerry line of devices.Guitar Hero 3 Mobilewas particularly popular following its release in 2007, with the game downloaded by over 2.5 million users during its run. Unfortunately, the last main title,Guitar Hero Live, was released in 2015 and was met with mixed reception, with many disappointed by the game’s soundtrack and lack of multiplayer.
WhileGuitar Herohasn’t seen a major release in a decade, there are plenty ofaddictive rhythm gamesto fill the space left behind by the series, with titles likeRift of the NecroDancerandClone Herofinding immense popularity. It’s unclear whether the upcomingGuitar Hero Mobileentry will be well-received at launch, but fans are hoping that the title will be more polished than its first piece of promotional material.
