Nexon has announced an investigation into a series of strange TikTok ads that emerged on the platform in the last few days to promote The First Descendant. In these ads, the use of AI is front and centre, and it’s glaringly obvious. Not only that, but it looks like some streamers have had their likeness duped while an AI engine puts words in their mouth.
The ads were stripped recently as Nexon published a statement revealing the kickstart of an investigation into ‘certain irregularities identified in the operation of our TikTok Creative Challenge’.
Nexon Takes No Responsibility for Ad Blunder
Recently, posts surfaced on social media showing screen captures of ads for The First Descendant airing on TikTok. These ads smacked of gen-AI input, with the creators leaning on technology to bring to life images of streamers, putting words in their mouths that they never said.
This shady marketing tactic made its way to Nexon, which posted a message on social media in response:
As a part of our marketing campaign for Season 3: Breakthrough, we recently ran a Creative Challenge program for TikTok creators, which allows creators to voluntarily submit their content to be used as advertising materials.
All submitted videos are verified through TikTok’s system to check copyright violations before they are approved as advertising content.
However, we have become aware of cases where the circumstances surrounding the production of certain submitted videos appear inappropriate. Thus, we are conducting a thorough joint investigation with TikTok to determine the facts.
It sounds like Nexon is blaming the streamers for the sketchy ads without admitting how much input the studio had in creating them.
It has been more than a year since The Descendant was released, with the free-to-play shooter pulling in 10 million players in under a week. The game’s growth has slowed dramatically since those early weeks, but it’s still a popular enough game.
Did you see any of these AI-driven First Descendant ads? Let me know on the Insider Gaming forum.
For more Insider Gaming coverage, check out the news that Battlefield could become an annual series
Grant has been gaming for 30+ years and in the industry for 10+. You'll probably find him playing a post-apocalyptic game or an extraction shooter somewhere.
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