Activision have sold an AI-generated cosmetic in Modern Warfare 3 – Report
ActivisionCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 offers players an abundance of customization options through purchasable Operator skins and bundles. According to a report, some of these are being produced using AI tools.
WIRED published a report that claims Activision began integrating AI into their game development processes as early as spring 2023, most notably in “creating concept art and marketing materials.”
The report claims that MW3 players were sold an AI-generated bundle at the end of 2023. WIRED did not name the purchasable cosmetic, but they linked the Yokai’s Wrath bundle, which was released in December 2023.
This suggests it was developed using AI tools, although it’s unclear which aspect of the bundle was shaped by AI, as it includes an Operator skin, Weapon Blueprint, Weapon Sticker, Calling Card, and Loading Screen.
Soon after the MW3 bundle dropped, Microsoft laid off 1,900 Activision Blizzard and Xbox employees, a large portion of which the report claims were 2D artists. An anonymous Activision artist who spoke with WIRED claimed that after the drastic cut, the remaining employees were “forced to use AI to aid in their work.”
These employees were even made to take on “AI trainings,” with the software reportedly being encouraged across the whole of the organization.
It seems like AI is here to stay, especially in Call of Duty, as a Treyarch job listing for an art position that required “advanced expertise in working with generative AI tools” was also mentioned, which led to outrage and disappointment in the community.
It’s unclear what the project was, but with Black Ops 6 set for an October 25 launch date, AI has likely been used in its development considering Activision’s employment of generative tools in 2023.
WIRED isn’t just investigating Activision’s use of AI, but they also investigated Riot Games, the development studio behind League of Legends and Valorant.