# Valve admits Steam has an AI slop and cloning problem, but says ‘we don’t want to be gatekeepers telling developers which tools they should or shouldn’t use’

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/valve-admits-steam-has-an-ai-slop-and-cloning-problem-but-says-we-dont-want-to-be-gatekeepers-telling-developers-which-tools-they-should-or-shouldnt-use/
- Published: 2026-10-28T17:37:24+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-07T03:11:52+00:00
- Original publisher: PC Gamer
- Original article: https://www.pcgamer.com/software/ai/valve-admits-steam-has-an-ai-slop-and-cloning-problem-but-says-we-dont-want-to-be-gatekeepers-telling-developers-which-tools-they-should-or-shouldnt-use/
- Topics: AI, Entertainment, Gaming, Software, Technology

## Key points

- Valve recognises AI cloning and low-effort releases as problems on Steam.
- It favours better recommendations over restricting developers’ tools.
- Nearly 23,000 games had launched on Steam in 2026 by early November.

## Summary

Valve has acknowledged that AI-assisted game cloning and a flood of low-effort releases are making it harder for developers to protect their ideas and for players to find games. At a Steam event in Busan, company representatives said Valve does not want to dictate which tools developers use, and described improving Steam’s recommendations as its preferred way to address the volume.

Valve says games were copied before AI, though the technology can speed up the process; one developer reportedly received a threat to clone a game unless they paid. Valve’s Tom Giardino advised developers to build communities and keep adding distinctive features, while Marc Wilkinson said Steam initially gives games broad exposure at Next Fest before personalising recommendations. Nearly 23,000 games had been released on Steam by early November 2026, and Valve acknowledged there is room to improve its approach.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.