TLDR: The upcoming looter-shooter ‘The First Descendant’ is facing significant backlash from its community due to a marketing campaign featuring AI-generated advertisements. Fans have widely condemned these ads as ‘terrible,’ ‘uncanny,’ and ’embarrassing,’ with some even appearing to imitate real content creators, sparking widespread criticism across social media platforms.
Nexon’s highly anticipated looter-shooter, ‘The First Descendant,’ has found itself at the center of a heated controversy following the deployment of a series of AI-generated advertisements. The marketing campaign, which surfaced primarily on platforms like TikTok, has been met with overwhelmingly negative reception from the gaming community, who have labeled the ads as ‘terrible,’ ‘bizarre,’ and ‘uncanny.’
Reports from various gaming news outlets, including Game Rant, Eurogamer, PC Gamer, and GamesRadar+, all dated August 17, 2025, highlight the widespread discontent. Critics and fans alike have expressed their dismay over the quality and nature of these AI-produced promotional materials. A key point of contention is the alleged imitation of real content creators within some of these AI-generated advertisements, leading to accusations of unoriginality and a lack of genuine engagement.
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Redditor u/iHardlyTriHard is credited with compiling several instances of these controversial ads, bringing them to broader public attention and fueling the debate. The community’s sentiment suggests that these AI-driven marketing efforts are doing ‘more harm than good’ to the game’s reputation, with many finding them ‘pointless’ and ’embarrassing.’ The backlash underscores a growing sensitivity within the gaming community regarding the integration of artificial intelligence in creative and promotional aspects, especially when the output is perceived as low-quality or disingenuous.
