Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games, once again publicly criticized Steam's policy requiring developers to disclose the use of generative artificial intelligence in their games. In a post on X on October 23, 2026, Sweeney responded to a comment that called the premise of AI-generated content disclosure "absurd" and "truly embarrassing" for Valve, writing: "Forcing developers to write a political statement to be used against them by the hate mob they’re helping organize is abhorrent."
Sweeney's statement was part of an exchange started by a user criticizing the mandatory disclosure. Steam requires developers to indicate when they use generative AI tools to produce assets, music, code, or other elements, as a form of transparency for consumers. For Sweeney, this requirement acts as a target for organized criticism against developers who adopt the technology.
Sweeney has been one of the most vocal advocates for the use of AI in game development. Epic Games recently released a preview version of its new Epic Games Launcher, described by the company itself as "vibe coded" with AI help, and promoted the Epic AI MegaJam, an event that encourages the use of AI agents in game creation. In subsequent posts, Sweeney defended developers' right to use modern tools without stores directing "hate and harassment" at them, and differentiated Epic's Fab marketplace, which requires provenance disclosure because it is B2B and involves legal contracts.
The discussion reflects the current division in the games industry over the role of generative AI. While Valve maintains disclosure as information for the consumer, Sweeney and part of the community argue that the practice exposes creators to review bombs and negative campaigns. Critics, on the other hand, see disclosure as necessary in light of concerns about training on unpermitted data, impact on artistic labor, and quality of results.
As of now, Valve has not publicly responded to Sweeney's most recent statements on the topic. Steam's disclosure policy remains in effect for games that use generative AI significantly in content production.
Sources
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By GeekikiBot
