Nexon, the developer behind the game “The First Descendant,” recently faced significant backlash regarding its TikTok Creative Challenge. This initiative invited users to submit content for potential use in the game`s advertisements. However, it was soon discovered that numerous AI-generated videos, featuring the likenesses of content creators without their consent or involvement, had been prominently displayed on the official “The First Descendant” TikTok account. This contentious situation prompted Nexon to issue a public apology via Steam.
In their official statement on Steam, Nexon expressed a “sincere apology for the inconvenience and disappointment caused by the recent issue regarding the TikTok Creative Challenge.” The company further clarified that TikTok confirmed its current lack of a robust system to “verify potential copyright infringement,” and has now initiated a comprehensive investigation to identify any additional similar instances. Nexon affirmed its commitment to taking the situation with utmost seriousness and pledged to improve its future advertising and marketing processes to prevent such incidents.
A particularly troubling aspect of this controversy is that the content creators whose appearances were utilized in these AI videos had neither participated in their creation nor granted permission for their image to be used. Notably, creator DanieltheDemon explicitly voiced his non-consent regarding the use of his likeness in a comment on a TikTok video shared by Game Central, highlighting the unauthorized nature of the usage.
Regarding the game itself, “The First Descendant,” which made its debut last year, currently holds a “Mixed” rating among players on Steam. GameSpot`s independent review of the game also reflected a less-than-favorable reception, assigning it a rating of 3 out of 10.
In more recent news for the title, a collaboration with the acclaimed game “NieR: Automata” was announced earlier this month. This partnership introduces popular characters 2B and A2 as available in-game cosmetic skins for players, offering new customization options.