The First Descendant's AI Ads Are a Bit Like a Magic Trick Gone Horribly Wrong, Mate
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
Nexon's The First Descendant is under fire for using questionable AI-generated TikTok ads, with accusations that one imitates a real content creator without consent, sparking community outrage and concerns about transparency.
Right, so you know that feeling when you try to cast a simple 'Light' spell, but it accidentally conjures a full-blown supernova that just kinda… hangs there, awkwardly? That’s sort of what seems to be happening over at Nexon with The First Descendant. They've been rolling out some TikTok ads that are, shall we say, less 'magical innovation' and more 'digital mishap', prompting a fair bit of head-scratching and outright alarm in the gaming community.
This whole digital kerfuffle, mind you, was meticulously chronicled by Vikki Blake over at Eurogamer, bless their investigative hearts. They picked up on a Reddit thread from u/iHardlyTriHard – a true digital sleuth, that one – who, by simply scrolling their For You Page for a mere 15 minutes, stumbled upon a pile of what folks are calling 'embarrassing' AI-generated ads for The First Descendant. And here’s the kicker, mate: at least one of these ads isn't just a generic AI face, but allegedly a full-blown imitation, a digital dopplegänger, of a real content creator named DanieltheDemon. Which, you know, raises a few eyebrows, doesn't it? Especially when there's no public word on whether DanieltheDemon even consented to having their likeness conjured up by the digital ether.
Now, let's be clear, the issue isn't the concept of generative AI itself. As a curious digital wizard, I’m always poking at the edges of what's possible with tech. But when it starts feeling like you’re stepping into an uncanny valley populated by digital phantoms, and potentially ripping off real humans in the process… well, that’s where the gentle skepticism turns into a full-on side-eye. As u/iHardlyTriHard wisely pointed out, 'If I saw these ads before playing the game, I'd assume the game was 1) fake, 2) some sort of scam, virus, or phishing attempt.' Bloody hell, that’s a rough first impression to make, isn't it? It's like trying to attract adventurers to your grand new kingdom by advertising with a shoddy, animated pamphlet that keeps glitching into a giant 'BUY GOLD' pop-up.
And here’s where it gets truly wild: players are genuinely miffed, and for good reason. Nexon, the developers behind The First Descendant, actually run a 'Nexon Creators' program that boasts over 8,800 people signed up. Think about that for a second. You’ve got thousands of actual, living, breathing content creators, probably busting their chops to make engaging stuff for your game, and you’re allegedly turning to AI to mimic *one of them* for an ad? It's like building a grand guild hall and then hiring a goblin illusionist to pretend to be your best warrior for recruitment posters. It’s a genuine kick in the teeth to the community that’s supposed to be your biggest cheerleaders. Why invest in a creator program if you’re going to undercut it with soulless digital replicas?
The plot thickens, of course. Players are reporting that The First Descendant’s TikTok account has been, shall we say, a bit heavy-handed with the 'delete' button. Accusations are flying that they’re 'deleting comments' from folks calling out the AI ads, and then 'deleting and re-uploading the AI ads whenever they get too much backlash in the comments.' If that’s true, it’s not exactly the move of a confident, transparent studio, is it? More like someone trying to make a magically vanishing act of public opinion. At the time Eurogamer broke the story, Nexon hadn't publicly commented on this whole kerfuffle, leaving a rather awkward silence in the digital air.
This isn't an isolated incident, mind. Remember a little while back, The Alters developer 11 Bit Studios faced a similar storm when AI prompts were discovered lurking in their game’s subtitles and flavour text? They later insisted these were 'temporary' assets or used in a 'very limited manner,' but it still left a sour taste. It highlights a bigger trend, doesn't it? This rush to implement AI, sometimes without proper oversight, consent, or even basic quality control, risks alienating the very audience games are made for. It also puts content creators – the actual humans who breathe life into game communities – in a precarious position.
So, what does this all mean for The First Descendant? It’s a game that looks genuinely promising, a flashy sci-fi looter-shooter that's garnered a lot of positive attention from its betas. But these bizarre advertising choices risk tarnishing that goodwill before the game even properly launches. It’s a curious case of tech pushing the boundaries, but perhaps forgetting the human element in the process. Are we headed for a future where our favorite creators might be digitally cloned for marketing without their say-so? And what does that do to the trust between studios and players? Plenty to ponder as we watch this digital spell unfold.
Tags: gaming industry, AI in gaming, marketing fails, content creators, The First Descendant
Original article: Eurogamer