Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 has landed on PC, PS5, and Xbox, but players are not talking about the campaign or the multiplayer just yet. Instead, they are calling out Activision for stuffing the game with AI-generated art, and the reaction is not pretty.
If you jumped in through pre-load, you may have already seen it. Players spotted AI assets across the in-game rewards, and the first post to blow up came from X user Kumesicles, who shared a batch of calling cards that all looked AI-generated. That post quickly turned into the centre of the debate, but it was far from the only example.
Black Ops 7 also uses AI-generated art in its campaign and even in the prestige icons, which players normally grind for hours to unlock. These rewards used to be a badge of pride, built by artists to feel earned and memorable. Now they look rushed, messy, and soulless.
Players voice their frustration over Black Ops 7’s AI-filled rewards
Black Ops 7 Steam reviews are already filled with complaints. Some talk about the AI slop. Others point to long-standing issues, like the always-online campaign that cannot be paused and boots you out if you go AFK for too long. Combined, these problems paint a picture of a series drifting further from what players expect.
The bigger question here is simple. Why should players accept less than what previous games offered? Call of Duty has always leaned on cosmetic rewards to motivate its community, and fans know when something feels off. This time, it feels like Activision cut corners in the most obvious way.
Even if the company patches these assets later, players believe the damage is done. The worry now is what comes next. If this year’s game launched with AI plastered across its rewards, many expect next year’s entry to push the trend even further.
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