The gaming world is buzzing with controversy as Nexon’s free-to-play shooter “The First Descendant” finds itself in hot water over deceptive AI-generated TikTok advertisements. Players and content creators are calling out the game’s marketing team for using artificial intelligence to create fake influencer videos, including an unauthorized deepfake of a real streamer.

The ads, which appeared on the game’s official TikTok account, featured AI-generated personalities promoting the game’s Season 3: Breakthrough. These synthetic spokespeople were quickly exposed by eagle-eyed gamers who noticed unnatural speech patterns, strange mouth movements, and inauthentic scripting.

Most alarming was the unauthorized use of horror game streamer DanieltheDemon’s likeness. The AI manipulated his viral TikTok video, changing his mouth movements and voice to make it appear as though he was endorsing “The First Descendant” - a claim he vehemently denies.

Nexon attempted to deflect responsibility, claiming the ads were part of a TikTok Creative Challenge where creators submit promotional content. However, the company’s lack of rigorous content verification has raised serious ethical questions about AI use in marketing.

The gaming community’s response has been swift and critical. Reddit users expressed disappointment, with many stating the AI ads would likely discourage potential players and damage the game’s reputation. Content creators felt particularly betrayed, seeing the synthetic videos as a direct undermining of genuine creator work.

This incident highlights growing concerns about AI’s potential for manipulation and unauthorized content creation. As technology advances, the lines between authentic and artificial representation continue to blur, challenging our understanding of digital consent and ethical marketing practices.

Nexon has promised a thorough investigation with TikTok, but the damage to their credibility may already be done. The first descendant of this controversy? A cautionary tale about the risks of unchecked AI in digital advertising.