Imagine scrolling through TikTok, only to discover your favorite streamer’s face promoting a game they didn’t even endorse. Well, that’s exactly what happened with The First Descendant, a free-to-play game that’s ignited a firestorm of controversy over its use of AI-generated influencers. And it turns out, one of these so-called influencers was a deepfake of a streamer who had no clue about it!

Amanda Yeo, an Assistant Editor at Mashable, sheds light on this bizarre incident involving Nexon, the developer behind The First Descendant. Launched last year, this third-person shooter game invites players to fend off alien invaders and has recently faced backlash for its marketing tactics. Like many multiplayer games today, it features “seasons” of new content. The latest season, titled Breakthrough, kicked off in August, with Nexon ramping up its promotional efforts on TikTok.

However, as the ads rolled out, a wave of players began to notice something was amiss. Those shiny TikTok videos, supposedly featuring beloved streamers pushing The First Descendant, were flagged for being too good to be true. The voices sounded robotic, the scripts felt unnatural, and the streamers' movements were just… off. Reddit user u/iHardlyTriHard was quick to compile these uncanny ads, sharing their shock that AI-generated content was being used instead of real creators. “It’s really a kick in the teeth to TFD content creators,” they lamented.

But the drama escalated when one ad featured a deepfake of horror game streamer DanieltheDemon, who was promoting a game he had no association with. He quickly took to TikTok to express his outrage, clarifying, “They stole my face/reactions from my most viral video and used AI to change what my mouth says. I did not consent for my likeness to be used.” Imagine seeing your face advertising something you didn’t even know existed! It’s a strange new world where AI can impersonate you without your permission, and the implications are chilling.

DanieltheDemon’s most popular TikTok, which has racked up an impressive 8.3 million views, showcases him playing an indie horror game. Yet, in the ad, it seems Nexon took his video, manipulated it via AI, and blended it into their marketing campaign. Talk about crossing the line!

As the backlash grew, players voiced concerns about the quality and ethics of these ads. Reddit user u/darknessinzero777 pointed out, “Honestly, I genuinely believe the ads will actually hurt the game,” while u/Detpowell worried about how to recommend the game without damaging their credibility. And who wouldn't? When trust is broken, it takes a lot to rebuild that connection.

In response to the uproar, Nexon issued a statement blaming the third-party ad creators. They claimed that the controversial videos were submitted through TikTok’s Creative Challenge program, which invites creators to share content for marketing purposes. However, Nexon acknowledged that there were “certain irregularities” and has committed to investigating the situation alongside TikTok.

Despite this, it raises significant questions about Nexon’s ad vetting process. Did they really not notice the glaring signs of AI manipulation? The developer seems to have left the heavy lifting to TikTok, which raises eyebrows about accountability in this age of digital marketing.

As Nexon continues to evaluate the fallout from this debacle, one thing is clear: It’s a digital age of fast-paced content creation, but there’s a responsibility that comes with it. We’ll have to watch closely to see how this story unfolds and what it means for creators and consumers alike.