Steam Next Fest's Top Played Games Highlight AI Disclosure Trends

Steam Next Fest has revealed the ten most played demos from its event, and while the list isn't surprising, it does highlight a growing trend in the gaming industry. With over 500 of the 4,397 demos featuring an AI disclosure, the focus on how AI is being used in game development is becoming increasingly prominent. Among the top-played games, only one includes an AI disclosure — Embers of the Uncrowned, the upcoming Nexon MMORPG.

The Top 10 Most Played Steam Next Fest Demos

Here's the list of the most played demos from Steam Next Fest, presented in no particular order:

  • Echoes of Aincrad - An anime-style third-person RPG set in the Sword Art Online universe
  • Mistfall Hunter - A Soulslike extraction RPG that replaces traditional shooting with third-person combat
  • over the hill - A chill yet grueling off-road adventure by the Art of Rally developers
  • IRON NEST: Heavy Turret Simulator - A game where players control heavy turrets
  • EMPULSE - A 6v6 shooter with a look reminiscent of Mirror's Edge and Titanfall
  • Dust Front RTS - A retro-styled real-time strategy game appealing to '90s PC gaming fans
  • The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu - A four-player co-op game set in a dangerous sci-fi jungle
  • Embers of the Uncrowned - Nexon's next big dark fantasy MMORPG with an AI disclosure
  • BOMBANANA! - A whimsical friends game featuring monkeys defusing bombs
  • Casualties: Unknown - A survival platformer exploring a murky, dangerous underground world

While the list features a variety of genres, only one of the games includes an AI disclosure. This is particularly ironic considering that Embers of the Uncrowned, the game with the disclosure, is likely the one with the largest budget among the listed titles. The disclosure states that AI-based tools may be used for in-game visual content creation, marketing materials, live chat translation, and partial in-game dialogue and script localization. However, the final product is said to reflect the creativity and artistic expression of the development team.

The Rise of AI Disclosures on Steam

The latest Steam Next Fest has seen a surge in AI disclosures. Out of the 4,397 demos listed on SteamDB, 551 have the AI Content Disclosed user tag. This is a significant number, especially considering that user tags can sometimes be misused. Assuming no coordinated effort to mislabel non-AI games, the prevalence of AI disclosures suggests a shift in how developers are handling AI in game development.

This trend isn't limited to Steam Next Fest. Last week, over 300 new games were released on Steam, with 120 of them featuring AI disclosures. While the floodgates are open for AI in game development, it doesn't mean the industry is fully embracing it. The presence of an AI disclosure is becoming a common feature on Steam store pages, so much so that some players are now scanning directly for it, skipping the game description, trailer, and screenshots.

This behavior highlights a growing concern over AI in gaming. While Embers of the Uncrowned may be the only game on the top list with an AI disclosure, the overall trend suggests that developers are becoming more transparent about their use of AI. However, this transparency may also be a response to increasing public skepticism and antipathy toward AI in games. It might be time for Steam to consider implementing a filter for AI disclosures to improve the user experience.