The much-anticipated Steam Next Fest — a showcase for independent developers — revealed a striking trend: generative artificial intelligence was used in more than 500 demos across the event.
According to TechRaptor, 504 demos — roughly 17% of all titles at the festival — incorporated AI. Valve has mandated transparency, requiring creators to disclose where such tools were applied. Developers reported using AI for marketing, concept art, music and sound design, localization, code, scripts and dialogue.
The most prominent AI-enabled project was Cloudheim. Noodle Cat Games emphasized that AI was employed only for internal communication and team support, not as a substitute for staff. Steam’s listing also states: “No one was replaced by AI — this applies to artists, engineers, voice actors and localization specialists.”
The issue becomes more pronounced on larger projects. Studio Embark admitted to replacing performers with generative models in The Finals, and reports suggest similar practices are appearing in Arc Raiders. Many players note that the dialogue often sounds unnatural, a telltale sign of synthetic voices.
Heated discussions are playing out on Reddit. Gamers complain it’s harder to find genuinely compelling indie titles amid the influx of AI-driven projects. While some accept measured uses of AI to fill small gaps, the prevailing concern is creative: without a strong underlying idea, AI can strip a game of its soul.
Source: iXBT.games