Many players still view generative AI in gaming with skepticism.
Game Oracle analyzed nearly 10,000 titles released on Steam before November to gauge the impact of these tools. About 21 percent of these games disclosed the use of AI during development. Since Valve does not release sales data, researchers used the volume of user reviews as a proxy for commercial performance.
Games labeled with AI integration received 53 percent fewer reviews than comparable projects without the technology. If a standard game gathered 100 reviews, an AI-assisted title averaged only 47. Nearly 20 percent of AI-based games failed to receive a single review after release, compared to 15 percent for traditional projects. In the first month, AI games averaged four reviews, while traditional games earned seven.
User ratings also reflect this divide. Among games with at least 100 reviews, projects without AI maintained an average rating of 88.3 percent. AI-supported games lagged behind at 84.6 percent.
Established studios suffer the most from this trend. Large publishers and experienced developers often see sales drop by 40 to 60 percent when using AI. These projects would likely perform better without the technology, benefiting instead from traditional marketing and studio reputation.
Small teams face fewer negative consequences. For unknown developers, AI remains a practical tool—even while large AAA companies struggle against widespread public pushback.
Source: iXBT.games