Valve Addresses AI Game Clones and Low-Quality Content

Valve representatives Tom Giardino and Marc Wilkinson addressed the proliferation of generative-AI game clones and low-quality content, termed AI slop, during the Steam Indie Connect event in Korea on October 27.

Valve Corporation is currently facing an influx of AI-generated clones and reports of developers receiving extortion emails threatening the release of such clones unless ransoms are paid. Giardino stated this was the first he had heard of these specific threats and noted that while Valve would offer assistance, the matter is primarily for law enforcement. To deter cloning, Giardino advised developers to avoid relying on a single mechanic and instead focus on continuous improvement by adding personality and creativity to make games harder to copy.

Regarding the prevalence of low-quality AI demos during the recent Steam Next Fest, Wilkinson explained that the event's initial two-day random visibility phase likely contributed to the perceived flood of poor content. He confirmed that Valve is fully aware of the situation and that a significant number of employees are working on a solution, acknowledging that the current trade-off allows some low-quality games to be exposed.