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The First Descendant devs admitted issues in their advertising strategy on TikTok after community backlash over AI-generated videos flooding the platform last week. The issue went to the extreme of a content creator being impersonated without his permission, as if he were endorsing the game.
Developer Nexon explained it didn’t create any of the videos shown in the reported TikTok ads. They used TikTok’s Creative Challenge system to allow other creators to make videos “voluntarily” for The First Descendant, which were automatically used as ads for the game on the platform. Nexon apologized and wrote:
“After confirming with TikTok, we learned that no system currently exists to verify potential copyright infringement, and TikTok is now conducting further investigations to identify any additional cases. One confirmed case involved unauthorized use of DanieltheDemon’s content by another creator. TikTok identified this as a violation of its guidelines and has already blocked the creator’s account.”
The company added that “We are taking the TikTok advertisement issue very seriously, recognizing that we failed to uphold the authenticity of our marketing content and to respect the efforts of our creators and community.” It promised “additional review steps” when publishing promotional material online for The First Descendant.
DanieltheDemon’s case was the most problematic one. Players spotted what seemed to be him robotically talking over The First Descendant gameplay in an ad on TikTok, but the creator later said it was not him in the video, and he didn’t authorize the use of his likeness in any of the published content. While Nexon didn’t make the video, the company still benefited temporarily from it with the TikTok ad.
The First Descendant community was unmoved by Nexon’s apology. On Steam, most players asked the developer to stop focusing on ads and fix game issues instead.
“Stop with the advertising c***, and make a FUN GAME. Fix the crap you broke, and make it more player-friendly,” an angry player wrote. “The best ads for a game are the people who play it,” a second one added.
Nexon’s reply has yet to make the game’s Reddit community care, but one player, while recognizing the company’s effort, echoed the sentiment that The First Descendant needs improvements first. “Their priorities are off at times, and the game’s balance is a f****** joke to the point where I don’t even play anymore […] but that doesn’t mean I don’t see the effort and care put into the game.”
The First Descendant has a new patch scheduled to release on Aug. 21, with content still to be confirmed. If players are to be heard, the game update will have balance changes and bug fixes that will make them want to advertise The First Descendant to their friends.
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