Nexon has acknowledged “irregularities” in a sequence of TikTok commercials for The First Descendant after followers accused the corporate of manufacturing the “low effort” advertising supplies by way of AI.
It follows breaking information over the weekend during which Reddit person iHardlyTriHard collated 4 uncommon commercials after scrolling their For You Web page for simply quarter-hour. With all 4 exhibiting mismatched lip syncing, unusual head actions, unnatural dialogue, and a minimum of one which seems to use the likeness of content material creator DanieltheDemon — though whether or not this was with or with out permission, we do not but know — followers instantly started speculating that they’d been produced by way of AI.
It’s actually loopy to see the sport the First Descendent not solely steal content material from a identified content material creator and used AI to promote their sport. However they did ANOTHER advert utilizing AI once more to promote their sport.
As I discussed the opposite day, streamers want to pay attention to this. pic.twitter.com/bqOUE1FGX5
— iamBrandon 🏳️🌈 (@iamBrandonTV) August 15, 2025
Nexon was fast to reply, though the developer’s statement spawns as many questions because it solutions.
It mentioned the adverts got here from a TikTok Inventive Problem for creators, “which permits creators to voluntarily submit their content material to be used as promoting supplies.” And whereas “all submitted movies are verified by TikTok’s system to test copyright violations earlier than they’re permitted as promoting content material,” it has since recognized “instances the place the circumstances surrounding the manufacturing of sure submitted movies seem inappropriate” and launched an investigation.
Curiously, the assertion does not apologize — the one time an apology seems, it is due to the “delay in offering this discover” in regards to the investigation, because it’s “taking longer than anticipated.” Nexon mentioned that when “verification is full,” it’s going to share an replace “by an official discover.”
Here is the assertion in full:
We want to inform you of sure irregularities recognized within the operation of our TikTok Inventive Problem for creators.
As part of our advertising marketing campaign for Season 3: Breakthrough, we just lately ran a Creative Challenge program for TikTok creators, which permits creators to voluntarily submit their content material to be used as promoting supplies.
All submitted movies are verified by TikTok’s system to test copyright violations earlier than they’re permitted as promoting content material.
Nevertheless, now we have grow to be conscious of instances the place the circumstances surrounding the manufacturing of sure submitted movies seem inappropriate. Thus, we’re conducting an intensive joint investigation with TikTok to decide the information.
We sincerely apologize for the delay in offering this discover because the overview is taking longer than anticipated. As soon as the verification is full, we are going to promptly share an replace by an official discover.Thanks to your persistence and understanding.
Nexon is simply the newest firm to come below hearth for generative AI utilization. In June, The Alters developer 11 Bit Studios promised an replace to each to substitute the AI-generated content material with handcrafted property after followers found AI prompts within the sport that had not been correctly disclosed.
Jurassic World Evolution 3 developer Frontier Developments equally had to stroll again its use of generative AI characters portraits after widespread criticism, and Activision has been skewered repeatedly for its generative AI use, together with current examples of an advert for a Guitar Hero sport that does not exist, and a few Name of Obligation: Black Ops 6 property.
Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, in addition to a critic, columnist, and guide with 15+ years expertise working with a number of the world’s greatest gaming websites and publications. She’s additionally a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually Excessive Chaos. Discover her at BlueSky.