Call Of Duty: Black Ops 7 is getting mauled by fans on Metacritic, as its use of generative AI becomes a talking point with a US congressman.

It’s been a few days since Call Of Duty: Black Ops 7 launched worldwide, across PlayStation, Xbox and PC, but it has already conjured up some strong emotions from fans – and most of it is negative.

Beyond the widely panned campaign, the shooter’s use of generative AI tools for certain in-game assets has attracted major criticism, enough to prompt a response from Activision.

‘Like so many around the world, we use a variety of digital tools, including AI tools, to empower and support our teams to create the best gaming experiences possible for players,’ a statement reads (via PC Gamer). ‘Our creative process continues to be led by the talented individuals in our studios.’

There is a vague disclaimer on the game’s Steam page too, regarding AI use, which reads: ‘Our team uses generative AI tools to help develop some in-game assets.’

The game’s predecessor, Black Ops 6, was similarly criticised for using AI-generated artwork, and in Black Ops 7’s case, it seems to have manifested in the multiplayer calling cards, which have weirdly Ghibli-esque animation styles completely divorced from the rest of the game’s aesthetic.

The furore around this artwork has now caught the attention of US Democrat congressman Ro Khanna, who called for regulations to prevent companies from ‘using AI to eliminate jobs to extract greater profits’.

‘Artists at these companies need to have a say in how AI is deployed,’ Khanna wrote on X in response to the AI-generated artwork in Black Ops 7. ‘They should share in the profits. And there should be a tax on mass displacement.’

In a follow-up post, he added: ‘A company replacing artists with AI is not much different than one that replaces truck drivers. AI cannot just be for enriching tech billionaires. AI must be for us, not them.’

The complaints about AI have contributed to Black Ops 7’s low user rating on Metacritic. At the time of writing,the sequel, while carrying an 83 critic score, based on 18 reviews (most sites didn’t get review copies till launch day), is sitting on a 1.9 user score, based on over 900 player ratings.

A recurring theme in the user reviews is the weak campaign, while some have picked fault with the new wall jump movement mechanic.

For a comparison, one of the most maligned entries, 2023’s Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, has a user score of 2.3, based on over 2,300 ratings. The only user score we could find which was actually lower was for 2011’s Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 – Defiance, an obscure handheld spin-off for the Nintendo DS, rated at 1.5.

There’s a chance opinions could change in the coming months, but with competition from the likes of Battlefield 6 and Arc Raiders, it’s certainly a worrying sign for Call Of Duty’s prominence over the next year.

A controversial juggernaut (Activision)

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