Steam Developers’ $75,000 AI Video Contest Fails Predictably

Party Animals established itself as a beloved party brawler, casting players as endearing creatures engaged in hilariously chaotic combat. Since its late 2023 debut on PC and Xbox, and its subsequent 2025 arrival on PlayStation 5, the title has enjoyed widespread acclaim, boasting over 17,000 “Very Positive” reviews on Steam. However, this goodwill has recently soured following a controversial decision by the developer.

On Wednesday, Recreate Games unveiled a video contest featuring a $75,000 prize pool. The catch? According to the official rules, submissions “must be primarily created using AI tools.” The studio framed this as a way to empower creativity on X, suggesting that AI allows players to finally bring their wildest visions to life. This stance faced immediate scrutiny, as the rules simultaneously demanded “original works,” despite the well-documented concerns surrounding copyright infringement and the appropriation of intellectual property from human artists inherent in generative AI models.

In an era where the gaming community is increasingly hostile toward generative AI—evidenced by the backlash against Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Larian Studios’ controversial plans for Divinity—the Party Animals player base responded with immediate fury. The game was quickly subjected to a review-bombing campaign on Steam. One player lamented, “Rest in peace; I loved this game, but I cannot support a company that leans into AI.” Another critic remarked, “It’s disappointing to see a quality party game stoop to replacing community spirit with AI-generated filler.”

Facing intense scrutiny, Recreate Games issued an apology on Thursday and launched a public poll to determine the future of the contest. The studio explained that their original intention was simply to lower the barrier to entry for creative expression. “We understand the concerns around AI content,” the developer stated on X. “We are not trying to dismiss handmade work or disrespect creators. To us, AI is just another tool.”

The pinned poll asks the community to vote on three paths: cancelling the contest, pivoting to a non-AI format, or running a hybrid event. The results speak volumes, with over 57% of participants favoring a complete cancellation and less than 8% supporting the original AI-centric plan. Many users remain unimpressed, arguing that even holding the poll is a bad-faith effort to validate technology that the community clearly rejects. As the voting continues, the gap between the studio’s vision and player expectations remains as wide as ever.

Source: Polygon