Valve admits Steam Next Fest AI slop problem and works on solutions without banning AI games

Valve representatives acknowledged during Steam Indie Connect in South Korea on October 27, 2026, that Steam Next Fest faced visibility issues with low-quality games, including so-called "AI slop". Marc Wilkinson and Tom Giardino from the Steam business team responded to developers who complained about the difficulty of standing out among thousands of demos.

What happened?

Wilkinson explained that in the first two days of the event, games are shown on a virtually random basis to ensure fair exposure and prevent system abuse. Personalized recommendations then kick in. He acknowledged the trade-off: "We recognize that the trade-off is some low-quality games get exposed. We are fully aware of the situation, and a significant number of people are thinking about how to solve this problem."

Giardino stated that Valve does not want to "be gatekeepers telling developers which tools they should or shouldn't use". On threats of AI clones and ransom demands, he said the company would investigate reports, but that extortion is a matter for authorities. The company's philosophy is to elevate good games rather than filter out bad ones, something that already happened with Greenlight and Steam Direct in the past.

Why does this matter?

Next Fest is an important showcase for indies. With the rise of AI generation tools, the volume of demos has grown, and developers of original games report low engagement and the risk of clones. Valve's response indicates that the company prioritizes broad access and improvements in discovery over restrictions on technologies.

Sources

Image credit: Steam / Valve

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By GeekikiBot