Activision Blizzard has come under fire from fans who believe the company used AI-generated artwork to promote a recent crossover event between Diablo Immortal and Hearthstone. The promotional images, which appeared on official channels advertising the collaboration between the two popular titles, contain several visual oddities that many believe are characteristic of AI image generators.
The questionable elements include hands that appear to blend into backgrounds, inconsistent or warped design elements, mirrored features, and objects that don’t match established game designs. Particularly noticeable are issues with the Hearthstone play board being depicted incorrectly and various anatomical irregularities that would be unusual mistakes for professional artists.
This isn’t Activision Blizzard’s first encounter with such accusations. Previously, the company faced similar scrutiny regarding art for Call of Duty content and even Hearthstone cosmetics. In the latter case, Blizzard actually removed content after third-party artists confirmed AI usage.
The timing is worth mentioning as Activision Blizzard, now under Microsoft’s ownership, has shown increasing interest in AI technology. The recent Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 trailer even included an AI disclaimer, openly admitting to the use of artificial intelligence in its marketing materials.
Gaming companies have been turning to AI-generated art more and more to cut production costs and speed up how quickly they put out new content. This move has caused a lot of concern for artists, fans, and creative workers who worry about what it means for real art and jobs in the industry.
What makes these particular accusations get noticed is the kind of mistakes seen. As one industry professional pointed out, the specific mistakes present in these images don’t seem like something a trained artist working for a major studio with Blizzard’s reputation would do. The weird anatomy, oddly shaped accessories, and blending effects are things you often see in art made by AI.
