Saros Hit by AI Fake Screenshot Drama After Strong PS5 Launch
Housemarque’s new PS5 exclusive Saros is supposed to be enjoying its moment right now. Instead, part of the conversation around the game has been dragged into the usual online culture-war mess — this time with alleged AI-generated “screenshots” being passed around as fake story spoilers.
According to Destructoid, the misinformation campaign targets the game’s plot with fabricated images and misleading claims about the main character’s backstory. One of the most shared claims suggests a major story twist involving the protagonist’s wife leaving him for a Black woman. The issue? Destructoid reports that the supposed evidence is not actually from the game, with fans also pointing out that the characters involved do not even cross paths in the way the fake posts suggest.
In other words: don’t believe every “leak” you see on your feed, bro. Especially now that AI images can look convincing enough at first glance but fall apart when actual players check the game.
Saros matters because it is one of those rare big PlayStation 5 exclusives that actually gets people talking beyond the usual sequel cycle. Housemarque already built serious credibility with Returnal, a stylish third-person bullet hell roguelike that became one of the PS5’s early cult favourites. Saros is being positioned as a spiritual follow-up, so for players who bought Sony’s expensive console and have been waiting for more proper exclusives, this is a big release.
The backlash also apparently started before launch. Destructoid notes that earlier attempts to stir controversy included fake review quotes and made-up review scores, with some posts allegedly using racist dog whistles. Another part of the reaction focused on the game’s lead, who is played by and modelled after Rahul Kohli, a British actor of Indian descent.
For Malaysian and SEA players, this whole situation is a useful reminder: representation in games still makes some corners of the internet weirdly angry. Seeing a South Asian actor front a major PlayStation exclusive is not a small thing, especially for audiences in this region who rarely see people who look even remotely familiar leading big-budget sci-fi games. You don’t have to buy a game just because of representation, obviously, but pretending it doesn’t matter is also blur case lah.
The good news for Housemarque is that the drama does not seem to be stopping Saros. Destructoid says the game has received strong reviews, positive player feedback, and reportedly moved over 1.2 million units in its first week. That is a huge number, especially when compared with Returnal’s reported 307,000 launch-week sales.
So the practical advice is simple: if you care about Saros, check actual gameplay, trusted reviews, and player impressions before buying into viral outrage screenshots. AI-made misinformation is becoming part of gaming discourse now, and SEA communities are not immune — one fake post can spread through Facebook groups, Discord servers, WhatsApp chats, and X faster than anyone can verify it.
Saros is already looking like a win for Housemarque. The fake outrage may be loud, but the sales and player response suggest most people are more interested in playing the game than fighting imaginary plot points online.
Source: Destructoid
