A new study from Game Oracle suggests that the “AI stigma” in gaming is not just a perception—it has measurable financial consequences. Research led by Ross Burton, PhD, Head of Product and Data at Game Oracle, indicates that disclosing artificial intelligence usage during development can severely impact a game’s reception and sales potential on Steam.
The findings come after Valve mandated AI disclosures for developers in January 2024, requiring them to specify how AI was utilized in asset creation, music, or voice-overs. Since then, approximately 21% of games released on Steam in 2025 (through October) have included these disclosures.
The review gap
Steam does not publish exact sales figures, so researchers often use review counts as a proxy for commercial performance. The study analyzed nearly 10,000 releases between January and October 2025. Games with AI disclosures averaged just 4 reviews in their first month post-launch, compared to 7 reviews for titles without such disclosures.
Furthermore, 20% of games with AI labels received zero reviews, versus 15% for non-AI titles. For games that did accumulate at least 100 reviews, those using AI scored an average of 84.6%, while non-AI games averaged 88.3%.
Controlling for variables
To ensure these numbers weren’t skewed by other factors, Game Oracle built a causal statistical model. This controlled for developer experience, publisher backing, genre, and release timing. Even when comparing similar titles side-by-side, games disclosing AI use received approximately 53% fewer reviews than their non-AI counterparts.
In practical terms, if two comparable games were released simultaneously, the non-AI title might receive 100 reviews while the AI-assisted title would see only 47. This significant gap persists even when accounting for marketing budgets and studio reputation.
Established studios face heavier penalties
The impact of AI disclosure is not uniform across all developers. The study found that inexperienced developers with limited resources saw little negative impact from using AI, likely because their titles would have struggled regardless of the label. However, established studios with existing fanbases and proven track records faced a much steeper penalty.
For these competent developers, the use of AI correlated with a 40% to 60% drop in sales. Burton noted that if successful studios adopt AI to optimize workflows, the financial hit can be catastrophic. This suggests that consumer backlash or skepticism is particularly acute when it comes to brands players already trust and expect high-quality, human-crafted content from.
What this means for you
If you are a PC gamer on Steam, this research highlights how disclosure policies shape the market. While some AI-assisted titles like The Finals have succeeded, others like Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 and Jurassic World Evolution 3 have faced criticism partly due to AI usage. The data suggests that many players may subconsciously avoid or rate lower games that disclose heavy AI reliance, regardless of the actual gameplay quality.
Burton advises developers to approach AI with caution, using it to lighten loads rather than replace hard work. For consumers, the presence of an AI disclosure might now serve as a signal to look closer at reviews and community feedback before purchasing, as the label itself has become associated with lower engagement and satisfaction scores in aggregate data.
Source: Latest from Windows Central
Over to you: Do you check for AI disclosures before buying a game on Steam, or do you rely solely on user reviews?
