Players have accused The First Descendant of running uncanny AI TikTok ads, with claims that one clip imitates a real streamer’s likeness without consent.
Looter shooter The First Descendant has come under scrutiny after players alleged that the game is being promoted through AI-generated advertisements that mimic real people. One of the clips is said to closely resemble an existing streamer. The claims surfaced in a Reddit thread, where users shared examples of the alleged promotional content.
The First Descendant devs accused of using AI to create ads imitating content creators
Redditor iHardlyTriHard has compiled several TikTok videos that they claim were found within minutes of browsing.
According to their post, four of the clips appear to be fully AI-generated, while two others use AI voice-over. Indicators such as awkward lip-syncing, unnatural l-sounding voices, and extremely smooth surfaces were highlighted as signs of AI use. One of the more serious accusations involves a video that allegedly features an imitation of content creator DanieltheDemon.
“In the [first] AI ad, they use a real streamer's likeness by using AI img2vid, and I believe they have done this without their consent,” iHardlyTriHard wrote.
“They even went as far as to attempt to clone his voice,” he added, sharing that it was done “very poorly, judging from the comparisons I have heard from his original videos.”
As of the time of writing, it remains unclear whether the streamer was involved in the ads or if the resemblance was unintentional. GosuGamers has reached out to the streamer for clarification.
The Redditor went on to share that they believed that the other content creators were purely AI-generated, and that the ads also disrespect the participants of the NEXON Creators program. The program has over 8,800 participants producing legitimate content for the game, they argued, and yet, the company chose to use AI to produce these ads.
Community response has been largely negative. Redditor darknessinzero777 described the situation as “embarrassing,” suggesting that such advertisements could harm the game’s reputation rather than attract new players.
Other Redditors, like Mattdoss, shared that they were initially interested in the game, but after seeing the AI ads, they thought it made the game look cheap and lazy. “Even if it has 2B, I’m going to pass. Sorry,” they added.
This is not the first time Nexon’s looter shooter has faced backlash. Following its launch, The First Descendant was accused of borrowing icon designs from Destiny 2. The icons were later removed after community criticism.
The latest allegations arrive shortly after the game launched a crossover with Nier Automata, featuring 2B as a playable character. While the collaboration drew attention, the advertising dispute has shifted focus back to Nexon’s marketing strategy.
The First Descendant is a free-to-play multiplayer online role-playing looter shooter developed and published by Nexon. Released on 2 July 2024, the game casts players as “Descendants,” individuals who wield mysterious powers and act as humanity’s last line of defence against the Vulgus, an invading alien force. Players are tasked with repelling the Vulgus through a mix of missions, cooperative gameplay, and loot-driven progression.
Reception has been mixed across platforms. On Steam, the game currently holds a “Mixed” rating with around 56% positive reviews, while it sits at 3.99 out of 5 stars on the PlayStation Store.
