Nexon faces backlash over AI ads

Nexon is under fire after AI generated TikTok ads for The First Descendant appear to imitate a real content creator, stirring questions about consent and transparency.

Nexon Faces Backlash After AI Ads Copy a Real Creator

Four AI generated TikTok ads for The First Descendant were found by a Reddit user compiling posts on the game’s For You Page. In addition, two other ads were described as low effort and not clearly AI. One of the ads reportedly used the likeness of DanieltheDemon, raising questions about consent and rights to a real creator’s image. Nexon has not issued a public comment on the backlash, and Eurogamer has reached out for a response. Players worry the ads could mislead viewers into thinking the game is fake, a scam, or virus-like. Some players say the game’s official TikTok page has deleted critical comments and re-uploaded ads after backlash. The controversy echoes a later July incident involving 11 Bit Studios, where AI prompts appeared in subtitles and flavor text, later described as temporary or limited in use.

The incident highlights the speed at which AI marketing pushes into new spaces, often before clear rules exist on consent and disclosure. When a game markets itself with a creator’s image without clear permission, trust erodes and fans push back, sometimes quickly through social channels. This case also points to a broader industry pattern where visibility and growth can outpace ethics, forcing studios to confront questions about creator rights, transparency, and brand responsibility. If consent and disclosure stay murky, the industry risks regulatory scrutiny, reputational harm, and thinner margins as audiences demand accountability.

Highlights

Trust and transparency will define how quickly the industry adopts AI in advertising.