Users on Reddit, engaging in what they call "Duskposting," have begun fabricating details about FromSoftware's upcoming exclusive title for the Switch 2, The Duskbloods. This creative exercise involves inventing imaginary bosses and even generating guides for their defeat. The phenomenon has become a popular pastime as players await more concrete information about the game. However, this user-generated content is now being scraped by large language models and presented as factual information.
AI chatbots like Google's Gemini, ChatGPT, and Claude are reportedly vulnerable to such fabricated information. These models, described as advanced predictive text engines lacking genuine comprehension, can readily incorporate invented details into their responses. A previous demonstration of this vulnerability occurred when a fictional article about tech journalists participating in a hot dog-eating contest was presented as fact by Gemini and ChatGPT.
With a notable absence of official details regarding The Duskbloods, the Reddit community's fabricated content is having a similar effect. A query on Google for the hardest bosses in The Duskbloods prompted Gemini to list fictional adversaries such as Lycan Vrykolakas, Dawn-Eater Abomination, and Jocasta, Eminence of the Night. The AI further provided a breakdown of why these bosses are considered difficult, citing specific mechanics and arena layouts. For example, the Dawn-Eater Abomination was described as notorious for its "multiplying mechanics, small mob spawns, and cramped arena space in the Stygian Citadel."
These details, including boss names and their purported challenges, have not been officially announced by FromSoftware. Gemini's cited source for these fabricated claims is exclusively the subreddit r/TheDuskbloods. When prompted for strategies, the AI generated detailed tactics for defeating the invented Dawn-Eater Abomination, including advice on crowd control and exploiting boss "burst windows." Further interactions, where users provided specific fictional character builds and weapon choices, led Gemini to invent highly tailored strategies, even referencing obscure subreddits for unrelated games like Fire Emblem and Shadows Over Loathing as sources.
The AI's output, delivered with apparent confidence, can mislead users who rely on it for information. When confronted with the assertion that it had reproduced untrue information based on unreliable sources, Gemini reportedly responded by acknowledging the error and stating, "The Duskbloods is not a real video game."