Nexon's popular action RPG The First Descendant has sparked significant controversy with its unconventional marketing strategy for Season 3. The game's use of AI-generated influencer clones in promotional materials has drawn widespread criticism from players and content creators alike.

The third season, titled "Breakthrough," launched on August 7 with exciting new content including a NieR: Automata crossover event, additional dungeons, a new playable character, and the introduction of Hover Bikes. However, the discussion has largely shifted to Nexon's questionable advertising methods rather than these gameplay additions.

The controversial TikTok campaign features eerily realistic yet unsettling AI versions of actual streamers, including horror content creator DanieltheDemon. These digital clones deliver awkward, robotic commentary about the game's new features, complete with unnatural head movements and stilted speech patterns.

Fan reactions on social media platforms have been overwhelmingly negative, with many describing the ads as "cringe-worthy" and "disturbing." A particularly vocal Reddit thread criticized Nexon for what they perceive as laziness and disrespect toward the creator community, especially considering the company's existing Nexon Creators program that supports real content producers.

Further fueling the controversy are reports that Nexon may have deleted and reuploaded some of the ads to remove negative comments. Gaming YouTuber Moxsy confirmed at least one widely circulated AI influencer ad was pulled from TikTok following the backlash.

This marketing misstep comes at a challenging time for The First Descendant. While the game attracted millions of players shortly after its June 2024 launch, its player base has reportedly declined significantly in the subsequent year. The AI campaign appears to be part of Nexon's experimental approach to re-engage players, but may ultimately damage the game's reputation instead.

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