In another blow to No Man’s Sky‘s post-launch reception, developer Hello Games and the studio’s figurehead, Sean Murray, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) watchdog has confirmed that it is currently investigating the title after receiving “several complaints” in regards to misleading advertising.
Confirming the investigation to Eurogamer, an ASA representative said that while no explicit details surrounding the case can be shared due to it being currently ongoing, it’s No Man’s Sky‘s Steam store page rather than the developer itself that’s currently being scrutinized.
Assuming any of the claims are held up, the ASA is entitled to have any offending adverts removed from public display for an indeterminate amount of time or even permanently. Failure to comply to with any ruling could result in sanctions, including having advertising assets removed from internet search engines.
The report states that the complaints revolve around screenshots that supposedly display content that never made it into the final game or changed drastically, as well as a dip in visual quality in the transition from development to final product.
It’s not clear how long the investigation will last, but this isn’t the first time No Man’s Sky has come under fire for over hyping certain features. In fact, Sony’s own Shuhei Yoshida said recently that he believes the game’s PR strategy could have been handled a little better.