Steam Changed Its Gen AI Disclosure Requirements for Developers

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It’s early in 2026, but generative AI is already a hot topic in game development. Simon Carless, who founded GameDiscoverCo., recently shared on LinkedIn that Steam has changed its rules about what types of AI-generated content game developers need to mention when submitting their games.

Interestingly, Steam just rewrote – but did NOT remove – its ‘does your game have AI in it?’ dev disclosure form. Valve’s making it clearer the ‘AI powered tools’ (like code helpers) don’t need citing – “Efficiency gains through the use of [AI powered dev tools] is not the focus of this section.” — GameDiscoverCo (@gamediscoverco.bsky.social) 2026-01-16T15:05:38.619Z

Developers must now tell Steam if they used AI tools when creating their game. If AI was part of the development process, the game’s Steam page will display a label saying “Made with AI.”

The rules have changed: developers don’t have to reveal if they used AI tools to help them make games. This includes tools that speed up coding or other development processes.

If game developers use AI to create all or part of the game’s content, they need to let players know. This includes both the game itself and any promotional materials like trailers or images. Transparency is key when AI is involved in making any part of the game or how it’s advertised.

This announcement follows a little over a week after Larian Studios faced criticism for sharing that they experimented with AI tools during the initial phases of game development.

Larian Studios CEO Swen Vincke recently announced on Reddit that the studio will stop using AI tools. This decision comes after criticism arose when he shared that Larian had previously used AI to create initial concept art, which was then refined and redrawn by their artists.

This change from Valve highlights an interesting point: they seem to approve of using AI tools as long as they help make things more efficient. We’ll likely be hearing a lot more about this idea of ‘efficiency’ throughout the year.

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2026-01-17 05:04