Guitar Hero's Mobile Launch Tripped by AI

• Guitar Hero Mobile has been officially announced, but the reveal felt somewhat clumsy.
• Activision is again drawing criticism, this time for using AI-generated art in the announcement.
• With few details available for this eagerly awaited revival, initial excitement for the release is muted.

When it comes to high-energy rhythm games, the genre never truly gained mainstream traction in the West—with one major exception: Guitar Hero. Now, the legendary franchise is making a comeback, and even better, it's headed to the accessible platform of mobile. But right from the start, Activision has stumbled, sliding off the stage and straight into the orchestra pit.

The announcement wasn't delivered via a trailer or an official press release, but through an unmistakably AI-generated promotional image posted on Instagram. Predictably, the return of this iconic series is being overshadowed by the artwork, especially on the heels of another widely reported case of AI usage in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.

As for what Guitar Hero Mobile will actually look or sound like, details are scarce. While the famous series did have a mobile release almost two decades ago—as seen below—fans are undoubtedly hoping for something far more impressive this time around.

Many have pointed out that the promotional art for Guitar Hero Mobile was glaringly poor, seemingly not even created with more advanced image generators. This misstep suggests the game could be dead on arrival, especially with strong competitors like Space Ape's excellent BeatStar still holding their popularity.

Ultimately, while the idea of Guitar Hero returning is thrilling, and its potential on mobile is enormous, it's clear Activision has once again missed the mark, dampening the positive aspects.

In the meantime, if you're curious about how other major franchises have fared on smartphones, explore our list of the top 9 Final Fantasy games available on mobile.