King, Scopely and others banned by UK ASA over misleading ads
Key takeaways
- ASA banned adverts from King, Loom Games/Scopely, Omnilojo and Vistrex
- King Farm Heroes Saga Facebook ad showed non-existent nails and a saw mechanic
- Omnilojo’s Dark War Survival ads used cinematic footage and misleading “2026” award badges
- Vistrex’s Idle Zombie Miner ads included gameplay features absent from a 60‑second minigame
The UK Advertising Standards Authority has banned adverts for mobile games from King, Scopely-linked Loom Games, Omnilojo and Vistrex (also known as Royal Ark Games) after finding the ads misrepresented actual gameplay.
One of King's Facebook adverts for Farm Heroes Saga showed a match‑three sequence where clearing icons dropped nails and a saw moved toward a cow — mechanics the ASA found absent from the live game. The regulator also noted that a “Not actual gameplay” disclaimer on that ad did not make the creative less misleading.
Two adverts for Loom Games' Pixel Flow were ruled similarly misleading for showing gameplay elements not present in the title; Scopely acquired a majority stake in Loom Games earlier this year. Separately, Singapore‑based Omnilojo had three Google ads for Dark War Survival banned after the ASA concluded cinematic sequences were presented as interactive gameplay and the visuals differed from the released game. One of those ads also displayed award badges reading “2026 Game Creative” and “2026 Survival Game,” which the ASA found to be misleading.
Cyprus‑based Vistrex’s Facebook advert and Google Play listing for Idle Zombie Miner: Gold Tycoon were also banned. The ASA said the adverts showed gameplay and features that did not accurately represent the full game, including elements missing from a featured 60‑second minigame.
Why it matters
Takeaway: the ASA rejected the “Not actual gameplay” label and removed multiple ads that used cinematic footage, invented mechanics or misleading award badges — concrete examples the regulator cited in each ruling.
Original source
PocketGamer.biz
