Reddit is forcing Google AI into hallucinating The Duskbloods characters before FromSoftware’s Switch 2 exclusive is even out
Ahead of any public playtest of FromSoftware's Switch 2 exclusive The Duskbloods, Reddit users have invented elaborate fake lore, characters and bosses for the game, and Google's AI search has repeatedly presented this fan fiction as genuine information. Because the title has revealed very little official detail so far, fans on the r/TheDuskbloods subreddit filled the gap with joke posts, including detailed "ranked" boss lists, convincing enough that Google's AI began citing them as fact when users asked about confirmed characters.
Examples include invented figures such as Bugout Billy, Blood Mistress Elizabeth and Lycan Vrykolakas, all presented with fabricated unlock methods and lore. Eurogamer tested this itself and found Google AI's responses inconsistent: some queries correctly noted no bosses had been officially confirmed, while others confidently repeated the Reddit fabrications, even citing "leaks" that do not exist. The outlet notes this isn't new, with similar hallucinations spotted two months earlier, and warns of the wider risks of AI search tools presenting unverified fan speculation as fact, particularly as the game's first closed network test approaches next month.
In short
- Google AI mistook joke Reddit lore for real Duskbloods game facts
- Fake bosses like Bugout Billy got presented as confirmed content
- Highlights ongoing risks of AI search hallucinating unverified information
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The case for
Google's AI search tools wield significant influence over how millions access information, and this responsibility demands robust accuracy safeguards, particularly when products have limited official information. The inconsistent responses—sometimes correctly noting nothing is confirmed, sometimes confidently repeating fabrications—suggest inadequate quality control. AI companies should implement better verification systems to distinguish between official sources and unverified speculation, rather than indiscriminately reproducing potentially misleading content from any online source.
The case against
Misinformation has been endemic to the internet far longer than AI tools, and no indexing system can perfectly filter deliberate fabrications from unvetted sources. The Reddit community deliberately created convincing hoax content; responsibility for this lies primarily with those fabricating information rather than with systems indexing available materials. Rather than placing unrealistic accuracy demands on AI tools, attention should shift to improving media literacy and encouraging users to verify information through official channels, particularly for unreleased products.
Explained simply
FromSoftware is a Japanese game studio known for challenging action games such as Dark Souls and Elden Ring. The Duskbloods is an upcoming game made for Nintendo’s Switch 2, but the studio has shared few details about its characters or story.
Reddit is a discussion site where users can post and comment in topic-based communities. On a subreddit for The Duskbloods, fans have made up characters, bosses and backstories as jokes, using detailed descriptions that can look like genuine game information.
Google’s AI search feature generates answers from information it finds online, including forum posts. When it treats fan-made claims as confirmed facts, readers can be misled about a game that has not yet been released, raising questions about how AI search handles uncertain information.
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