When it comes to fast-and-furious rhythm games, although the genre never really took off in the West, there was one huge exception: Guitar Hero. Now, this legendary franchise is set to make a comeback, and it's coming to the mobile platform! However, Activision's announcement has hit a sour note right out of the gate.
The reveal was not through a trailer or a press release, but rather through a blatantly AI-generated promotional image on Instagram. This move has overshadowed the excitement of the franchise's return, especially following another controversial use of AI in the reveal of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. The AI art used for Guitar Hero Mobile has been widely criticized, with many pointing out its poor quality and suggesting it might not even have been created using the most modern image generators.
As for what Guitar Hero Mobile will actually look and sound like, there's little information available. While the series did come to mobile nearly 20 years ago, fans are hoping for something truly impressive this time around.
Unfortunately, the poor quality of the announcement art has led many to believe that Guitar Hero Mobile might 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 is exciting, Activision's use of AI art in the announcement has undeniably struck a discordant chord. Despite the potential positives, the company has once again found itself under fire.
In the meantime, if you're interested in seeing how other major franchises have fared on smartphones, you might want to explore the top 9 Final Fantasy games available on mobile.