Last week, Reddit user Macsterr accused Microsoft of copying his concept for a PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds ad. While Microsoft has yet to admit that it copied Macsterr's work, the company has pulled the ad from its various social media channels, and Xbox's Larry Hryb, better known as Major Nelson, has said that the incident is being "investigated."

Major Nelson has promised to followup with Macsterr once the investigation into the controversial PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds ad has concluded, but it's unclear what will come about from the whole situation. After all, even if Microsoft did admit to copying Macsterr's work with its PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds ad, Macsterr wasn't commissioned to create an ad for PUBG and doesn't have the rights to its IP or characters.

Microsoft, meanwhile, has secured PUBG as an Xbox One console exclusive for the time being, and clearly has a vested interest in the game. While Microsoft may have been better off creating an entirely new ad concept of its own, it actually does have the right to promote the game, whereas Macsterr's work is just fan art.

Here is Macsterr's ad concept:

Microsoft Copies Xbox Ad Concept from Fan - PUBG ad

And Microsoft's ad:

Microsoft Copies Xbox Ad Concept from Fan - Microsoft Xbox One X PUBG ad

Microsoft may just wait for the controversy to die down a bit before reintroducing the ad, or it may move forward with a different ad concept entirely. Since PUBG is one of the most popular Xbox One console exclusives in recent memory, with over 1 million players joining the online battlefield in just 48 hours, Microsoft likely has multiple advertising campaigns planned for the game.

Of course, growing PUBG's success on Xbox One is going to take more than just clever marketing ideas. The game will also need to receive regular updates to ensure that its player base doesn't move on to other experiences. As it stands, the Xbox One version of the game still has a long way to go if it hopes to measure up to the PC release, which runs better and has more content, like the desert map Miramar.

PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds is available now on PC and on Xbox One through its Game Preview program.

Source: Reddit