Call of Duty Artists Allegedly Made to Rely On AI For at Least 1 Bundle Only Weeks After 1,900 Layoffs

Artificial intelligence has been a hot topic for discussion in the gaming industry for a while now, and everyone is taking part in it, from big to small developers, including some of the most celebrated ones in the industry.

Call of Duty artists were recently accused of relying on AI for one of the bundles in Modern Warfare 3. However, this is highly speculative, and nothing has been confirmed by Activision or Microsoft as of now.

Use of AI In Call Of Duty Modern Warfare 3

In a recent report from Wired, where they talked about the use of generative AI in the video game industry and the impact it has and will have in the future, an allegation surfaced that Activision made an AI-generated cosmetic available for purchase on the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 store.

However, nothing was confirmed by Activision, and they did not address the audience on this matter. People began to dig further into it and found some details that cleared the picture a little further and helped put things into perspective.

The cosmetic linked to the accusation allegedly turned out to be linked to: the Yokai’s Wrath bundle released in December 2023. The bundle was priced at 1500 COD points, which boils down to 15 dollars in real-life currency.

Wired also mentioned Activision’s accusation by Microsoft, who are pro AI in the gaming industry, and another piece of news surfaced that pointed towards the 1900 layoff that happened in the following months of the bundle’s release.

One Anonymous Activision employee came forward and expressed his concerns regarding the shift in the working system within the company. He talked about how a lot of 2D artists were laid off, and many others were forced to integrate AI into their workspaces. He said:

Remaining concept artists were then forced to use AI to aid in their work.

These are still speculations, and a lot of dots seem to be connecting the deeper we dig into them. Nevertheless, nobody has owned up to the use of AI while making the cosmetic bundle for Call of Duty, and nothing can be said for sure.

Generative AI In the Video Game Industry

The use of ethical generative AI has been the hottest topic of debate within the gaming industry, but there is a very fine line between using AI for minor help and transferring ownership of heavier workloads, causing massive layoffs in the industry.

Artificial intelligence has made a lot of people scared for their jobs, but it is not as scary as it seems if we work in the right direction. Having said that, it is also true that it can very easily turn into a trap in which most industries are going to find themselves sooner rather than later.

Not everything can be said to be bad about AI, as it sure can also make some tasks easier than before, and a lot of industry giants like Microsoft and Sony are all in for it.  EAFC also claims that because of AI, they can now make stadiums in 6 weeks rather than 6 months, which is a good thing.

Nevertheless, it sure is a thin line on which we tread, and it needs to be acted on with great care and precaution. What do you think about it? Let us know in the comments below.