Without warning: Valve is deleting games with AI assets from Steam

Games with AI assets will be banned from Steam. Valve now took position. (Images: Valve, andranik123 via adobe.stock)

AI should make our life much easier. Of course, game developers also benefit from this, especially small teams and one-man developers who use artificial intelligence to create graphics and assets.

According to its own statement, Steam will not publish such games.

Silently deleted pre-existing games

A few weeks ago, a thread on Reddit caused a stir. There, a Redditor complained that his game was banned from Steam before it was released for using AI-generated images. According to his own statement, these only served as placeholders and should be replaced.

After some back-and-forth, this developer’s game wasn’t released despite swapping assets, but at least he got some compensation.

We have already reported on this case:

Statement from Valve creates clarity

After incidents like the one above accumulated, IGN asked for a statement from Valve.

The reason why games with AI assets were deleted from Steam is simple: You’re treading on unsafe legal ground when Valve releases games that the developers don’t own all the necessary rights to.

In the event of a dispute, it would be up to Valve as a publisher, which is why they immediately put a stop to developers with regard to the use of AI.

However, the publisher does not want to discourage developers from submitting games with AI-generated content to Steam. He just wants to make sure the developers have the right rights to all the assets used in them.

Valve told IGN:

Of course, it’s also in Valve’s mind to make as many games available through Steam as they can.

In fairness, the publisher reimburses developers who are already using AI-based content in their games if they are deleted from Steam. You are still in a process of how to deal with it.

This isn’t the first time AI and gaming have met on Steam. An AI plays Minecraft and is always improving, and Cities: Skylines 2 gets powerful support from artificial intelligence.

At this point in time, copyright in relation to AI remains a legal gray area. However, Valve’s approach shows that the topic is a hot topic that companies only touch with pliers.

how do you see it? Should AI assets be allowed to support small game developers? Or should artificial intelligence be banned from creative areas? Write it in the comments.