Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney criticized. steam Requires developers to disclose AI usage on storefront pages and calls this policy 'irresponsible' for several reasons. This isn't the first time Sweeney has taken aim at Valve's Steam over its approach to AI labeling and disclosure.
In 2025, Sweeney argued that Steam's AI labels were meaningless because almost all games would eventually need them. His point was that AI tools will become such an integral part of game development that disclosing their use will become almost redundant. It's true that more and more games are incorporating artificial intelligence into their development processes, with some studies even suggesting that one in five games released on Steam in 2025 will use some form of AI. But Sweeney's position on how that information should be provided to customers remains controversial.
Epic Games CEO Throws Shade at Valve Over Steam Deck Price Increase
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney had some harsh words for Valve regarding the company's recently announced price increase for Steam Deck.
Epic Games CEO says 'they shouldn't' on Valve's AI reveal
“I think Valve is being really irresponsible,” Sweeney told PC Gamer while discussing Steam's mandatory AI disclosure. “They shouldn’t do that, because it makes it much, much, much more difficult for game developers to have a chance to succeed,” he added. The Epic Games CEO argued that AI tools should be viewed as “productivity tools” that can help small teams and indie studios compete with larger games such as fortnite. He believes Valve's AI disclosure requirements make it harder for those developers to “compete with the incumbents.” Because the label creates a “hate community trying to kill the game.”
“They shouldn’t do that, because it makes it much, much, much more difficult for game developers to have a chance to succeed.” – Epic Games CEO, Tim Sweeney
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The interviewer tried to explain that many gamers' biggest concern about AI tools is being trained on other people's art and creative work without permission. In response, Sweeney acknowledged that some AI models were trained using unethical methods, but argued that developers are under pressure to find more efficient ways to make games, citing AI tools as one such solution. He also said, “It is only a very small number. [asset development] “Time is really what artists inject their creativity into,” he said, suggesting that much of the remaining work could be optimized with artificial intelligence.
Epic Games Already Faces Backlash Over Generative AI
Prior to this interview, Epic Games officially showed off how it uses generative AI to create in-game assets from YouTube videos. One noteworthy detail is that artists have demonstrated using tools like Nano Banana to “refine” renderings of their original works, although the AI on its own has noticeably altered many aspects of the final output. Tools like Nano Banana have faced accusations of being trained on copyrighted material, which appears to conflict with Sweeney's criticism of AI models relying on unethical training methods.
Despite Sweeney describing generative AI tools, including those used in Epic Games' Unreal Engine, as “productivity tools,” the negative stigma surrounding AI in video games is still undeniable. When Steam introduced AI disclosure requirements, the response from many consumers was largely positive. Many argue that players have the right to know whether and to what extent the games they purchase use generative AI. However, based on Sweeney's recent comments, it seems unlikely that the Epic Games Store will adopt a similar policy and require developers to disclose their use of AI in their games.
