Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has renewed his criticism of Valve's policy requiring developers to disclose the use of AI in their games, calling the mandates "just as partisan as mandatory political essays."
Sweeney's remarks come as Epic Games pivots toward "AI first" development and hosts AI-focused game jams. He has repeatedly voiced his opposition on social media, arguing that Valve's disclosure policy is politically charged and creates a hostile environment for developers. "Forcing developers to write a political statement to be used against them by the hate mob they're [Valve is] helping organize is abhorrent," Sweeney posted on X, formerly Twitter, on October 24. He further compared the AI statements to requiring developers to list their voting history for "cancel campaigns and public struggle sessions," suggesting that Valve's stance imposes an economic cost on developers by "undermining their business with these AI hate campaigns."
Valve initially implemented the AI disclosure requirement due to uncertainty surrounding the use of the technology in game development and its associated risks. In a statement, Valve explained the changes were a result of improved understanding of the landscape and risks, as well as feedback from developers. "This will allow us to be much more open to releasing games using AI technology on Steam," the company stated, adding that it would revisit the decision as the legal landscape and AI technology evolve.
In contrast to Steam's platform, the Epic Games Store released approximately 1,100 games in 2024, a fraction of Steam's 18,433 releases. The article suggests that given Steam's higher volume of submissions and the evolving legal environment around AI, the disclosure policy appears more sensible.
Sweeney's critique portrays Valve as anti-AI, a stance the article disputes by referencing Valve's historical support for AI research, including a $20 million donation from Gabe Newell to OpenAI in its early stages. Newell himself has described AI as a significant technological transition comparable to the advent of computers or the internet.
The discussion occurs amidst a period the author describes as "peak slop" in game releases, with many titles exhibiting AI-generated assets that are visually unappealing. The author posits that while AI use in game development is likely to increase, a shift away from overtly sensorial AI applications may be necessary, and that public resistance to AI in games is often an emotional response rather than a principled stance.
Top Steam Games by Revenue (October 13-20)
During the week of October 13-20, PUBG: Battlegrounds retained its top position on Steam's revenue charts. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 secured the second spot, attributed to its early campaign access through pre-orders. Dota 2 and Counter-Strike 2 also featured in the top five, alongside Aion 2 and Planet Zoo 2.
Enshrouded reappeared on the charts following its full release from early access. Notably, the offroading simulator Over the Hill entered the charts at number 11, outperforming the new Castlevania game, which ranked 15th. This performance highlights the popularity of simulation titles in the vein of Snowrunner and Mudrunner.