Riot Video games and mother or father firm Tencent have come beneath fireplace after followers observed they allegedly printed a surprising AI-generated trailer for League of Legends: Wild Rift.
Reddit consumer Winter_underdog was one of the first to share the footage, calling consideration to what’s mentioned to be a two-minute trailer for the League of Legends spinoff’s third anniversary. Riot allegedly printed the footage on Chinese language social media web site Weibo earlier than eradicating it following uproar from gamers. There’s at the very least no hint of an AI trailer for League of Legends: Wild Rift on Weibo in the intervening time, however that hasn’t stopped followers from republishing it elsewhere.
Wild Rift China launched a cinematic made utilizing AI and it’s diabolical 😭 To suppose this was an official launch that a number of individuals authorized of 🙄
It options Seraphine, Jinx, Aurora, Yasuo & Ezreal. pic.twitter.com/8FxtfdyL4S— Aroush (@AroushTheKween) August 4, 2025
The video above options parts that one might discover in some of essentially the most blatant AI-generated content material on the market, together with unusual facial expressions, weird eye motion, and visuals that seem like a cobbled collectively Pixar movie. Though recognizable faces like Jinx, Seraphine, and Aurora additionally seem, it’s not at all times simple to pin down what precisely they’re doing because the group places on what appears to be a KPop Demon Hunters-inspired live performance for League of Legends: Wild Rift followers.
“Oh ew, who’re these skinwalkers ??” one Reddit user said.
“What within the league of legends fever dream is that this,” another added.
im dying laughing from how unhealthy it’s. Jinx is utilizing a glock, seraphine is kicking like she needs to be lee sin, yasuo is utilizing a lightsaber, Ezreal is utilizing a glock too. Jinx makes use of a flamethrower?
— Tellah_hi🔫🤠 (@TellahH) August 4, 2025
It’s not simply the look of the League of Legends: Wild Rift trailer that has followers suspicious that synthetic intelligence performed a job in its creation. Audio for the video can also be a bit off-putting because it leads as much as a track with equally questionable lyrics.
Regardless of the way you spin it, followers are usually not proud of the video circulating on-line and what it means for a way Riot is approaching League of Legends: Wild Rift. Whereas some are pleased writing off the third-anniversary video as “bootleg KPop Demon Hunters,” others are involved about what the long run of League of Legends seems like.
“Why fk round with AI when you’ve got correct animators?” one user added. “Utilizing this a lot AI is disrespectful not just for the followers however in the direction of the animation trade.”
First of all, Seraphine is a multitude 😭 Woman what occurred to your voice?
However in all actually, it’s so disappointing how Riot allowed this. This can be a slap within the face for each artist who has labored to deliver the world of Runterra to life by their artwork for the previous 15 years! 😢 pic.twitter.com/yLE7XASKfI— Aroush (@AroushTheKween) August 4, 2025
that is so miserable cuz it woulda been so cool if it simply wasn’t ai, like the thought is cute however.. significantly ? no effort for his or her anniversary even ? 😭💔
— Xaykawa !!! (@Xaykawa) August 4, 2025
IGN has reached out to Riot for remark.
Firms throughout the globe have largely adopted the use of AI-generated content material of their merchandise and advertising and marketing methods because the expertise has improved all through the final 5 years. Though followers have been significantly vocal relating to how Riot could also be utilizing AI to gasoline its video games, it’s removed from the primary entity within the gaming house to double down on it.
Activision admitted to utilizing AI for some Call of Responsibility: Black Ops 6 content material after being known as out by followers earlier this 12 months. Ark: Survival Advanced followers had been additionally fast to level out AI noticed in a trailer for one of its new expansions.
Whereas corporations like Microsoft transfer ahead with plans to combine AI into its digital ecosystem, not everyone seems to be onboard with the position synthetic intelligence might play sooner or later. Minecraft developer Mojang mentioned in March that it has no plans to incorporate AI in its growth course of. In the meantime, NieR director Yoko Taro has warned that recreation builders will lose jobs as a result of of the expertise because it progresses.
Michael Cripe is a contract author with IGN. He is finest identified for his work at websites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Remember to give him a comply with on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).