According to TechPowerUp, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney recently dismissed Valve’s generative AI disclosure requirements for Steam games, calling them “no sense for game stores.” Sweeney argued that generative AI “will be involved in nearly all future production,” confirming Epic Games Store won’t implement similar disclosure rules. The comments came via a post on X and suggest generative AI is already widely used within Epic’s own development. Interestingly, Sketchfab, owned by Epic since 2021, recently started requiring AI disclosures, likely for legal protection against copyright issues. Sweeney’s stance was immediately met with widespread criticism from gamers demanding transparency about AI usage in games they purchase.
The transparency debate heats up
Here’s the thing – Sweeney’s argument basically boils down to “everyone will be doing it, so why bother telling people?” But that’s exactly why disclosure matters. When something becomes ubiquitous, consumers deserve to know what they’re buying. The backlash on social media was pretty telling – gamers compared it to false advertising and said they’d actively avoid AI-heavy games. One person even said they’d “spend their money elsewhere” if they knew AI was involved. That’s a real business risk that Sweeney seems to be dismissing.
The bigger AI push
Sweeney’s comments didn’t happen in a vacuum. EA and Krafton have been pushing more AI into their workflows, sometimes with what the source describes as “disastrous results.” Take-Two’s CEO has advocated for using AI instead of voice actors. There’s a clear industry trend here – executives see AI as a cost-cutting measure. But when you’re talking about replacing human creativity with algorithms, shouldn’t customers know? It’s not just about the final product – it’s about supporting human artists and developers. And let’s be honest, when companies rush into AI implementation, quality often suffers. We’ve seen enough buggy AI-generated content to know that.
Epic’s curious contradiction
Now here’s what really makes you wonder – why is Sketchfab, which Epic owns, requiring AI disclosures while Sweeney argues against them? The source suggests it’s probably about legal protection against copyright claims. Basically, they’re covering their legal bases while pushing the technology everywhere else. That feels like having it both ways. If AI is so wonderful and inevitable, why the need for legal disclaimers? It suggests even Epic knows there are legitimate concerns about ownership and originality that need to be addressed.
Where this is heading
I think we’re seeing the beginning of a major consumer backlash. Gamers aren’t stupid – they can tell when corners are being cut. And when you’re talking about Sweeney saying disclosures make “no sense” while his own platforms implement them for legal protection, it looks hypocritical. The gaming industry might be barreling toward AI adoption, but consumers clearly want transparency. Ignoring that could backfire spectacularly. After all, who actually benefits from keeping AI usage secret? Certainly not the people buying the games.
