Guitar Hero Mobile Launches with AI Stumble

When it comes to fast-and-furious rhythm games, the genre may not have taken off in the West, but there was one colossal exception: Guitar Hero. Now, this legendary franchise is set to make a triumphant return, and excitingly, it's coming to mobile devices! However, the announcement of Guitar Hero Mobile has hit a sour note right from the start.

Activision's announcement was not through a thrilling trailer or a detailed press release, but rather through a blatantly AI-generated promotional image posted on Instagram. This move has overshadowed the return of the iconic franchise, especially following another widely-reported instance of AI use in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. The use of AI art has once again drawn criticism toward Activision.

As for what Guitar Hero Mobile will actually offer in terms of gameplay and audio experience, details are scarce. While the series did make an appearance on mobile nearly 20 years ago, as seen in the image below, fans are hoping for a more impressive revival this time around.

The AI-generated art used in the Guitar Hero Mobile announcement has been widely criticized for its poor quality, with some suggesting it might not even have been created using the latest image generators. This has led many to fear that Guitar Hero Mobile could be dead on arrival, especially with strong competition from games like Space Ape's popular BeatStar.

While the concept of Guitar Hero returning and thriving on mobile devices is incredibly exciting, it's clear that Activision's use of AI art has struck a discordant chord among fans. Despite the potential, the announcement has left a lot to be desired.

In the meantime, if you're curious about other major franchises that have successfully transitioned to mobile, consider exploring the top 9 Final Fantasy games available on smartphones.