Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 on Steam Now Features AI Disclaimer

Generative AI has stirred quite a debate in the gaming world, leading to new requirements by Steam in January 2024. They now ask developers to openly declare any use of this technology on their store pages. Earlier this week, Eagle-eyed individuals over at the Call of Duty-focused news site, CharlieIntel, spotted that Activision has included such a disclosure on Call of Duty’s Steam page. The straightforward note reads: “Our team uses generative AI tools to help develop some in-game assets.” It seems this notification was quietly added on January 27, but it went largely unnoticed until now.

For some time, gamers have been suspicious about generative AI content sneaking into Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. One glaring example includes an artwork of a zombie Santa, where Old Saint Nick has an extra finger on one hand, a strangely deformed left hand, and a nonsensical present.

Fans expressing concerns over generative AI is not something new in the industry. Just last December, The Indie Stone, known for their zombie survival game Project Zomboid, found themselves in hot water. They released a long-awaited update that initially thrilled the players. However, excitement turned into discontent when AI-generated elements were discovered in the game’s loading screen art, sparking protests. The Indie Stone promptly removed the AI-generated art, successfully quelling the uproar.

These days, players are quick to sound the alarm if they suspect AI is at play in their favorite games. A year ago, the developers of League of Legends had to address a curious incident. They issued a statement to clarify that an emote of the champion Samira, oddly depicted with six fingers, wasn’t the result of AI but rather a simple editing error that went unnoticed.

For now, we’re waiting to hear back from Activision for more details on how generative AI is being utilized in Black Ops 6. We’ll keep you updated as soon as we have more information.