The First Descendant faces backlash over AI-generated streamer ads
The marketing strategy for The First Descendant has come under fire after AI-generated streamer avatars, some resembling known creators, triggered ethics concerns and community backlash.

Nexon’s new promotional ads for their looter-shooter The First Descendant have ignited controversy after featuring AI-generated avatars that closely mimic real content creators, one resembling streamer DanieltheDemon.
The ads, circulating primarily on TikTok, combine unnatural expressions with awkward speech patterns, triggering community outrage.
Fans on Reddit slammed the ads as ’embarrassing’ and akin to ‘cheap, lazy marketing,’ arguing that Nexon had bypassed genuine collaborators for synthetic substitutes, even though those weren’t subtle attempts.
Critics warned that these deepfake-like promotions undermine the trust and credibility of creators and raise ethical questions over likeness rights and authenticity in AI usage.
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