When it comes to fast-paced rhythm games, the genre may not have taken off in the West as expected, but there was one standout exception: Guitar Hero. Now, this iconic franchise is poised to make a comeback, and it's coming to mobile devices! However, the announcement has hit a sour note. Activision stumbled right out of the gate with an awkward reveal.
The announcement wasn't carried by an exciting trailer or a detailed press release. Instead, it was a blatantly AI-generated promotional image shared on Instagram. This choice has overshadowed the much-anticipated revival, especially following another controversial use of AI art in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. The community's reaction has been overwhelmingly negative, focusing more on the poor-quality AI art than the excitement of the franchise's return.
As for what Guitar Hero Mobile will offer in terms of gameplay and visuals, details are scarce. The series did venture into mobile nearly two decades ago, as you can see below, but fans are hoping for something much more impressive this time around.
The use of AI-generated art in the announcement has been widely criticized, with many pointing out its low quality. Some even suggest it may not have been created with the latest image generation technology. This misstep has led to fears that Guitar Hero Mobile might be "dead on arrival," especially with strong competition from popular rhythm games like Space Ape's BeatStar.
While the idea of Guitar Hero returning to mobile is incredibly exciting, and the potential for it to work well on smartphones is undeniable, Activision's use of AI art has dampened the enthusiasm. Despite the positive aspects, this move has once again put Activision in the spotlight for the wrong reasons.
In the meantime, if you're interested in seeing how other major franchises have fared on mobile platforms, you might want to explore the top 9 Final Fantasy games available on smartphones.
