When it comes to fast-and-furious rhythm games, although the genre never really took off in the West, there was one huge exception: Guitar Hero. Now, this legendary franchise is set to make a triumphant return, and even better, it's coming to the humble platform of mobile! However, the excitement was quickly dampened by an awkward announcement from Activision.

Instead of a trailer or a press release, the announcement was made via a blatantly AI-generated promotional image on Instagram. This choice has not only overshadowed the return of the iconic franchise but also reignited criticism, especially given the recent use of AI in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. The use of AI art for such a high-profile reveal has left fans and critics alike unimpressed.

As for what Guitar Hero Mobile will actually offer in terms of gameplay and visuals, details are scarce. The franchise did make an appearance on mobile nearly two decades ago, as shown below, but fans are hoping for something much more impressive this time around.

Broken strings - The AI-generated art used in the Guitar Hero Mobile announcement has been widely criticized for its poor quality, with many suggesting it might not have even used the latest image generation technology. This misstep has led some to believe that Guitar Hero Mobile could be dead on arrival, especially considering the strong competition from games like Space Ape's popular BeatStar.

While the idea of Guitar Hero returning to mobile is thrilling and holds immense potential, Activision's choice of announcement has undeniably put a damper on the excitement. Despite this setback, the anticipation for a well-executed mobile version remains high.

In the meantime, if you're interested in seeing how other top franchises have fared on mobile devices, check out the top 9 Final Fantasy games available on smartphones.