9 out of 10 Game Developers Demand Stricter AI Disclosure Rules on Steam, Challenging Epic CEO

Game Developers Overwhelmingly Support AI Disclosure Requirements

A comprehensive GamesIndustry.biz survey has revealed a striking consensus among video game industry workers: 88.4% believe game stores should have GenAI disclosures when developers use generative AI tools1

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. The survey, which collected responses from 826 game developers over two weeks, directly contradicts Epic CEO Tim Sweeney's position that AI disclosure on platforms like Steam "makes no sense." Sweeney has argued that generative AI will become as ubiquitous in game development as game engines themselves, making disclosures unnecessary2

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. This divide highlights a fundamental disagreement about transparency between industry leadership and the workers building the games.

Valve's Current Disclosure Policy Faces Developer Pushback

Valve's current disclosure policy, updated in January, requires developers to declare AI usage only for content "consumed by players" rather than efficiency tools used behind the scenes1

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. Nearly half of survey respondents—48.7%—disagreed with this approach, while only 32.1% supported it and 19.2% remained uncertain1

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. The policy relies on developers' honesty, making it easy for studios to simply omit disclosures. However, some popular titles like ARC Raiders have voluntarily included such information on their Steam pages[2](https://wccftech.com/survey-shows-nine-out of-ten-game-workers-disagree-with-epic-ceo-game-stores-should-have-genai-disclosures/).

Developers Prefer Detailed, Checklist-Style Disclosure Methods

When asked about implementation, 51.9% of game developers favored a checklist-style disclosure that specifies exactly how AI was used in game development, while 28.4% preferred a simple yes-or-no statement, and 13.7% advocated for full detailed disclosures1

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. Notably, 76.8% of respondents said they would self-declare AI usage on Steam even if it was only used for concept work or efficiency purposes1

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. For administrative purposes, 70.8% indicated they would include disclosures2

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. This willingness to disclose suggests developers recognize the value of transparency with players.

Limited AI Adoption Across Video Game Storefronts

The survey revealed that 66.1% of respondents reported no use of generative AI tools within their studios, with only 30.6% using them to some extent1

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. The data skews toward smaller studios, with 64.8% of respondents working at companies with up to 49 team members. Among the 78.1% who use AI, the most common applications were brainstorming at 9.3%, code generation at 9.1%, creating reports at 7.9%, and prototyping at 5.8%1

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. Asset generation, which often attracts player scrutiny, was used by only 3.5% of developers. Voice generation, text generation, and music creation saw even lower adoption rates at 2.3%, 1.8%, and 1.3% respectively1

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Developer Attitudes Toward Player-Consumed Content

Around 85% of video game industry workers believe generative AI should never be used for voice generation, text generation, or music creation—the very elements that most concern players1

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. One exception emerged: 82.9% found it acceptable to use AI for placeholder audio during early development, provided it would be replaced with real actors later1

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. This nuanced perspective suggests developers distinguish between temporary efficiency tools and final player-consumed content. However, one developer's comment raised concerns about future transparency: "The only reason we are declaring the usage is because currently players care. For the time being, we should be specific and clear about its use. In the near future, players will no longer care and then we won't disclose it anymore"1

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. This suggests some studios view AI disclosure as a temporary public relations concern rather than a lasting ethical obligation, making standardized requirements from platforms like Valve and Epic Games increasingly important as the technology becomes more prevalent across game engines and development pipelines.