It’s no secret that artificial intelligence is the “it” word in the tech world right now, but its footprint in the gaming industry is growing faster than many might have anticipated. A recent deep dive into Steam’s top 100 selling new releases of 2025 has revealed that nearly one in five of the most successful titles made use of generative AI during their development.
While Valve does have a policy in place requiring developers to disclose the use of AI, the reality on the ground seems a bit more complicated. In fact, fewer than half of the games identified as using the technology actually had a disclosure present on their Steam store page.
Disclosed Generative AI Usage
These titles have official disclosures on their Steam store pages, acknowledging the use of AI in their development or gameplay.
- EA Sports FC 26 (Platinum Seller)
- ARC Raiders (Platinum Seller)
- ARC Raiders – Upgrade to Deluxe Edition (Bronze Seller)
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 (Gold Seller)
- Inzoi (Gold Seller)
- Anno 117: Pax Romana (Gold Seller)
- Where Winds Meet (Silver Seller)
- Revenge on Gold Diggers (Bronze Seller)
- Jump Space (Bronze Seller)
Undisclosed Generative AI Usage
These games have been identified as using generative AI through developer interviews, reported development processes, or community discovery, but do not currently feature a disclosure on their Steam pages.
- Battlefield 6 (Platinum Seller) – Tied to AI-generated promotional art and stickers.
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Gold Seller) – Used AI for experimental textures during development.
- Avowed (Silver Seller) – Used AI for placeholder voice acting and production assistance.
- Grounded 2 (Silver Seller) – Utilised AI tools for development efficiency.
- The Outer Worlds 2 (Silver Seller) – Used AI as a production assistant and for placeholder assets.
- Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road (Silver Seller) – Used AI for background art, crowds, and promotional materials.
- Jurassic World Evolution 3 (Silver Seller) – Previously disclosed AI for scientist portraits, but removed the tag after replacing the art.
- The Alters (Bronze Seller) – Used AI for movie subtitles and placeholder assets during production.
- Escape From Tarkov (Bronze Seller) – Used AI for background images and “shoutout” art in new maps.
- Season 1 Battlefield Pro – Battlefield 6 and REDSEC (Bronze Seller) – Included due to its association with the main game’s AI-generated assets.
Certainly, some big surprises on this list, especially games like Expedition 33, one of the most popular games of the year and the Alters, my personal highlight of the year. While for most of the games on the list the AI seems to be kept to a minimal its still a troubling sign for what’s to come.
What do you think we should do? Do we point and shame at the use of AI for all the damage it’s doing to the industry, or do we let them off for some of the most popular games that people are buying and playing?
