AI content concerns rise on Steam

As Valve prepares to launch the Steam Next Fest, concerns among independent developers about the increasing presence of AI-generated games on the platform have intensified. A study published by SteamDB in June found that more than 19% of the games featured at the last Steam Next Fest either used AI-generated content or were generated by AI in some capacity.

Transparency rules introduced

Valve has mandated that studios and creators disclose how they used AI-generated content in their games, a move aimed at promoting transparency. However, this trend has accelerated, with Steam increasingly flooded by games labeled as "AI slop."

AI tools complicate game development

The issue is compounded by the practice of decompiling and recompiling games with AI assistance, which involves reconstructing the source code of a game for various uses, including integrating it into another game. This trend is being adopted by major industry players, including Microsoft through its Xbox Labs.

AI challenges intellectual property

AI-generated content allows for rapid copying of games, making it challenging for studios to protect their intellectual property. One studio, Alliance Arts, has canceled the demo of its game Pukey Goddess Shot Trick for the Steam Next Fest, citing concerns about AI-generated plagiarism.

Developer fears grow

The studio had planned to release the demo with certain restrictions on gameplay video publication and streaming. However, it concluded that it could not effectively enforce these restrictions. The studio fears that AI or other tools could quickly generate imitations or reproductions of the game's presentation and gameplay, which could be disseminated before the game's official release.

Wider concerns among developers

While Alliance Arts is one of the first studios to raise this issue, it is likely that this concern is becoming more widespread. Independent developers are already becoming less visible on Steam due to the explosive growth of AI-generated games, and now they must also ensure their games are not plagiarized before their official release.