Wild Rift anniversary AI trailer quickly deleted after disastrous debut

League of Legends

9 Aug

Andre Guaraldo

Riot Games finds itself at the center of another controversy after deleting a poorly-made anniversary trailer for League of Legends: Wild Rift China, that fans immediately identified as artificially (and poorly) generated. The incident is the latest of a growing clash between cost-cutting measures and community expectations for increased quality and deliveries in the esports industry.

What happened

On August 4, 2025, Wild Rift China's official Weibo account posted a two-minute "celebration" video, reportedly produced by Outliers (异类), an AI-focused visual production studio for the mobile game's third anniversary in the region. The trailer, featuring champions Jinx, Seraphine, Aurora, Yasuo, and Ezreal in what appeared to be a concert performance, was removed within hours following massive community backlash.

Technical Red Flags exposed the AI trailer

Fans immediately spotted numerous telltale signs of AI generation that made the trailer's artificial nature undeniable:

Visual Inconsistencies:

Character models constantly shifting between shots, with Aurora's tail appearing mid-back in one frame
Yasuo's hair changing from long to short and back again
Jinx's tattoos moving positions throughout the video
Melting typography in the opening title, including "3rd Aniversay" instead of "Anniversary"

Lore-Breaking Elements:

Jinx wielding Glock-style pistols instead of her signature weapons
Yasuo using a lightsaber rather than his traditional katana
Seraphine fighting in melee combat despite being a ranged champion
Fishbones (Jinx's rocket launcher) firing like a flamethrower or SMG

Audio Problems:

AI-generated song with nonsensical English lyrics including "Turn up the blower higher"
Unnatural voice acting that fans described as "uncanny valley"

Community outrage following the Wild Rift AI Trailer

The reaction was swift and brutal across all platforms. Reddit users were among the first to share the footage, with the post quickly reaching the front page of r/wildrift.

Top fan reactions included:

"This is a slap in the face for every artist who has worked to bring the world of Runeterra to life for the past 15 years"

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"Why f**k around with AI when you have proper animators? Using this much AI is disrespectful not only for the fans but towards the animation industry"

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"What in the League of Legends fever dream is this"

Damage Control

Wild Rift Executive Producer David Xu posted a brief statement on X (formerly Twitter) the following day:

"Yesterday we posted a creator-made video on our official Weibo channel that, frankly, did not hit the mark. When we post content on our official channels, it's on us to maintain a high quality bar and be clear about where it came from. Thank you for all the feedback, we can and will do better."

However, fans criticized the response as evasive, particularly the use of "creator-made" rather than explicitly acknowledging AI involvement.

The Bigger Picture

The AI-generated Wild Rift anniversary trailer marked a clear slip from Riot Games’ usual quality, falling short of the high bar set by projects like the $250 million Arcane series and K/DA cinematics. The release came shortly after the conclusion of the SAG-AFTRA video game strike in July 2025, which introduced new rules to protect performers from unauthorized AI use and ensured fair compensation.

For Wild Rift, such lower-quality promotional content risks reducing player interest and affecting tournament presentation standards. These issues show how the trailer’s reception connects to brand image, relationships with artists, and the need to maintain credibility in the competitive gaming scene.

The latest, but not the first

This controversy adds to what many are calling Riot's "very bad year" in 2025, following previous criticisms over reward system changes, rising skin prices, and the cancellation of Hytale.

The incident serves as a cautionary tale for the esports industry: while AI tools may offer cost savings and speed, the reputational damage from poorly executed implementations can far outweigh any short-term benefits.

As the esports industry continues to grapple with AI integration, the Wild Rift debacle stands as a stark reminder that cutting corners on content quality can quickly become a public relations nightmare that undermines years of brand building.

The video may have been deleted from Weibo, but screenshots and reactions continue circulating across social media, ensuring this AI misstep will be remembered as one of 2025's most significant esports controversies.

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Feature image credits: League of Legends

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