"The 'AI Stigma' is real and severely punishes developers": A new study shows how much using AI in games hurts sales, and the numbers are hard to believe

Key Points:

• Steam introduced AI disclosure requirements in January 2024, requiring developers to reveal if AI was used in game development, leading to widespread visibility of AI usage on game pages.
• Research by Ross Burton of Game Oracle found that games disclosing AI use on Steam in 2025 received significantly fewer reviews and lower average scores compared to non-AI games, indicating reduced sales and reputation impact.
• After controlling for factors like developer experience and genre, AI-using games received 53% fewer reviews than comparable non-AI games, highlighting a substantial market disadvantage for AI-developed titles.
• Established studios with existing followings experienced a 40-60% sales drop when using AI, whereas inexperienced developers saw little negative impact, suggesting a stigma that disproportionately affects well-known developers.
• The negative reception may stem more from how AI is applied rather than its presence alone, with experts advising cautious and skillful use of AI as a tool to complement, not replace, traditional game development efforts.