Evony: The King's Return
Shooting numbered barrels in the ads, city building in the game
What the ad showed. A paid X video of a fighter shooting numbered barrels rolling toward them, captioned as navigating obstacles and unleashing attacks.
What the game is. A real-time strategy MMO whose core loop is city building, alongside PvP, PvE and puzzle sections.
Status. The ASA upheld a complaint in 2024. The publisher argued the ad showed real mechanics, but the ASA found the puzzles were only one aspect and that players who did not level up in the core game were eventually locked out of them. The ad therefore did not reflect the core playing experience.
Why it matters. This ruling went further than earlier ones: showing real gameplay is not enough, the ad has to reflect what the game mostly is.
