NCSoft has recently been facing a barrage of criticism from its player base regarding a series of new promotional videos for its flagship titles. At the heart of this backlash is a short-form video advertising a new server for their mobile title, Lineage 2M.

On October 15, NCSoft uploaded the short to its official YouTube channel. Titled 'The recent legend of Lineage 2M,' the clip attempted to highlight the supposed perks of the new server.

However, players were quick to point out that the video apes the low-quality aesthetic commonly found in ads for Chinese mobile games or sketchy shopping apps that have flooded social media and shorts platforms for years. The reaction in the comments section has been predictably cynical, with users calling it 'cringeworthy' or asking if it is 'some sort of miracle sword game clone.'

In particular, the video promoted a 'payback' system where clan members receive a refund when someone spends diamonds. Players didn't hold back, noting that this structure essentially incentivizes 'whales' to group together to maximize their kickbacks, leaving the average player in the dust. One user quipped, 'The whales will just stick together and lap up all the rewards.' Meanwhile, veterans on older servers expressed their frustration, arguing that the company is obsessed with pumping out new servers while letting legacy worlds like Papu and Lindvior languish without proper care.

This isn't the first time NCSoft’s marketing department has missed the mark. Last month, a short-form ad for the upcoming Aion 2 was met with a chorus of 'this looks awkward' across social media. The video, which highlighted pre-registration rewards like mounts, left viewers bewildered, with many pointing out that the character didn't look like they were riding a pet, but rather being 'passively dragged along like they were caught by a butterfly.'

One can only assume NCSoft is trying to pivot its marketing strategy to appeal to the 30-to-40-year-old male demographic that dominates titles like Lineage 2M and Aion 2. While the goal is likely to grab the attention of potential new users through the high-octane, condensed format of shorts, the cold shoulder from the community suggests the strategy is backfiring. Beyond the questionable advertising efficacy, there is a growing concern that these low-effort clips are actively damaging the NCSoft brand image.

Marketing is as much about long-term brand equity as it is about short-term gains. Looking back, NCSoft once found success with ads featuring CEO Kim Taek-jin in a more approachable, human light. While the company’s image management has stumbled since, those earlier videos at least managed to generate genuine positive buzz. In that light, these recent efforts feel like a particularly sorry step backward.