Activision Reportedly Used AI-Generated Skins to Sell in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

A new report from WIRED has claimed that Activision has used AI-generated skins to sell in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.

According to the report, Activision Blizzard started using AI in its games in early 2023 and, by late 2023, had reportedly sold its first AI-generated cosmetic skin in its latest title, Modern Warfare 3. The report heavily implies that the skin “Yokai’s Wrath” was created in part by AI.

One former Activision employee who worked on Modern Warfare 3 tells me that the timeline of WIRED’s reporting is correct and that leadership boasted about AI in its townhall meetings. “I recall during a townhall, leadership boasted about using A.I tools like Midjourney, etc to streamline production timelines,” it was said.

Weekly emails across the studios also consisted of AI-generated skins, they continued.

It’s currently unclear how many Call of Duty skins or cosmetics have been created or inspired by AI. Still, developers tell me that it wasn’t uncommon to be “encouraged” to use AI tools to make some creative processes more efficient.

Earlier this year, Microsoft announced that it would be laying off 1900 employees at the company, including those at Activision Blizzard. In May 2024, it was also announced that Xbox would shut down four of its game studios, including Tango Gamewords and Arkane Austin.

What do you think of Activision selling AI-generated skins to players in Modern Warfare 3? Let us know in the comments below!

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