Steam Under Fire for Promoting AI Generated Games
Facepalm: While several gaming companies have enthusiastically embraced assets created by AI algorithms, the reception from customers has been far from positive. Even Steam, the leading PC gaming platform, might be inadvertently supporting AI-generated content, potentially undermining the value of authentically crafted human experiences.
Valve is marking the arrival of new games on Steam with the latest Next Fest event, which showcases hundreds of free demos, live streaming events, and developer chats until March 3. However, many users feel that the Steam Next Fest is tainted by a flood of games that heavily depend on AI-generated assets.
An increasing number of titles featuring AI art, interchangeable anime characters, bleak fantasy landscapes adorned with “Balenciaga AI” faces, and artificial pixel art are becoming “tiresome,” according to one user. Furthermore, AI is also reportedly dominating the voice and audio components in numerous games.
Recently, Valve implemented a new policy regarding AI-generated content, mandating that game developers disclose their use of generative AI in their projects. This policy shift prompted Activision to acknowledge the rising incorporation of AI assets in its Call of Duty series.
Particular game categories appear to be significantly overwhelmed by the excessive presence of AI assets. The “Simulation” section of Steam’s Next Fest is inundated with similar titles, whereas other questionable entries fail to disclose their use of AI art altogether. Simon Carless, founder of GameDiscoverCo, suggests that Valve’s effort to refine its recommendation algorithm could be a fundamental issue.
According to Carless, Valve opted for a different strategy for game recommendations, presenting a wider array of titles during the initial days of the Next Fest event. Although these selections remain tailored to users based on previously played games, they now also feature smaller, and possibly “weirder,” titles.
Valve aims to enhance its recommendations with a more democratic approach, according to Carless, shifting focus away from the biggest, trending titles. Gaming marketing expert Chris Zukowski speculates that the Steam algorithm is exploring smaller games to determine if they can thrive amid the platform’s popularity competition.
In the days to come, the Steam Next Fest is likely to revert to its “normal” state, and AI-generated games should find their way back to the less visible areas of the platform where they are most suited. Valve should then redirect its efforts towards addressing the real challenge plaguing Steam at present: effectively promoting the vast array of quality, human-created games released on the platform daily.
