TLDR;
This YouTube video by William Kitten humorously critiques the advertising strategies of the mobile game Kingshot, developed by Century Games. The video highlights the game's pervasive and often bizarre ads, questioning their authenticity, legality, and overall effectiveness.
- The ads use trending slang and feature scripted commentary from actors who don't seem to be genuinely playing the game.
- The video explores whether the ads constitute false advertising and how Century Games can afford such a massive ad campaign.
- The video concludes that while the ads are likely illegal due to false representation, the game's free-to-play model and Century Games' location in China make legal repercussions unlikely.
Intro [0:00]
William Kitten introduces a critique of Kingshot, a medieval tower defense game. He humorously describes how an ad for the game "ruined his life" due to its nonsensical content. He questions the nature, purpose, and legality of Kingshot's ads, setting the stage for an in-depth analysis.
Fake Game, Faker Gamers [1:36]
The video highlights the sheer volume of Kingshot ads, noting that the number is unprecedented. A significant portion of these ads are "commentary ads," featuring individuals supposedly playing and commentating on the game. However, these commentators often appear to be reading from scripts, using trendy slang, and making strange statements that suggest the ads are not authentic. The scripted nature of these ads is intentional, part of a marketing strategy to grab attention through absurdity. The ads often include innuendos and pop culture references to generate engagement.
We We Only Kingshot (AI Ads) [17:20]
The video transitions to discussing how Century Games uses AI video generators to create a large volume of ads. These AI-generated ads often feature bizarre and nonsensical scenarios, such as characters being shot or engaging in strange behavior while claiming that "Kingshot has no ads." The video questions the creative bankruptcy of these ads, suggesting that Century Games could be more innovative with their AI-generated content.
Money Mystery [21:20]
The video explores how Century Games finances its extensive ad campaign, noting that Kingshot claims to have no in-game ads or microtransactions. This creates an "impossible triangle of doom," as the game appears to be spending a lot of money on advertising while making none in return. The video presents three theories: Century Games is tapping into music revenue, they have secured a large quantity of treasure chests, or they are threatening companies to host their ads for free. The video leans towards the theory that Century Games is using "strength" to get free ad hosting and exploiting free trials on AI video generation software.
More AI Ads [29:21]
The video highlights Kingshot's foray into horror-themed ads, which are often unintentionally terrifying due to the uncanny valley effect of AI-generated characters. The video also points out that many ads claim the game will "destroy your life," which is presented as a selling point. The video continues to critique the nonsensical and often offensive content of these ads, including fat shaming.
Lightning Round [34:06]
To speed up the analysis, the video enters a "lightning round" of nitpicks, using AI to generate commentary on various Kingshot ads. These ads continue to exhibit the same bizarre and contradictory elements as before.
Gameplay (Downloading Now, No Delay) [36:41]
The video creator downloads and plays Kingshot to determine if the ads constitute false advertising. The game is a town builder similar to Clash of Clans. The gameplay is nothing like what is shown in the ads. The video reveals that the game does include microtransactions, contradicting the ads' claims.
Conclusion (are these legal?) [43:53]
The video concludes that Kingshot's ads are indeed false advertising and therefore illegal. However, the game's free-to-play model and Century Games' location in China make legal repercussions unlikely. The video suggests that while legal action may be difficult, other companies may take action against Century Games for trademark infringement or other violations.
