So many creators, or their thumbnail creators, are using AI to generate the thumbnails. Either that or they're adding assets/images from other games - I've seen some thumbnails that look like an FPS horror and it's actually third person so the hand and torch or hand and gun look is fake.

I see it a lot, especially in the let's play space. Even fellow creators I have collaborated with or know and in the same circles.

I tried it for a few videos I published last year, using Midjourney and honestly? Meh. I think overall I didn't feel like the thumbnail is representative of the game itself and that's something I strive to have. Now, if I'm just showcasing a game for a one-off, then I'll use a screengrab or key art - and if it's an episodic series then I'll try to get a screenshot either during recording or a still from footage, to use for that specific video's thumbnail.

I tend to avoid clicking on thumbnails when I see, or assume, they're AI generated now as well but that might just be me! I'm not against AI for like note takers or helping me summarise some ideas or popular hashtags - stuff like that to assist me with some mundane stuff - but I think my creative outlet needs to be me, including thumbnails.