Valve knows players and developers are frustrated with low-quality AI games crowding Steam. Its preferred solution is to improve how people discover games while keeping the platform open to developers.
Speaking at Steam Indie Connect in Seoul on October 27, Valve’s Tom Giardino and Marc Wilkinson addressed concerns about AI clones, Steam Next Fest visibility, and the challenge of getting worthwhile games in front of players. According to Inven Global’s coverage, Wilkinson said Valve is “fully aware” of the situation.
In brief:
- Valve wants to improve Steam’s discovery systems while keeping developer access open.
- Steam Next Fest gives games near-random exposure during its first two days before shifting toward personalized recommendations.
- Purchases and people actually playing a game are major visibility signals. Wishlists have a more limited role.
- Valve encouraged developers facing AI-cloning extortion threats to contact law enforcement and report the cases to Valve.
Steam Next Fest Shows Low-Quality AI Games
Steam Next Fest’s opening days give a broad range of games a chance to reach players. Wilkinson explained that titles receive near-random exposure during the first two days, with personalized recommendations taking over afterward.
The approach gives participating developers an opportunity to be seen and helps discourage attempts to manipulate early visibility. It also puts some low-quality games in front of players, a trade-off Valve acknowledges.
Giardino described how quickly the event has grown. Three years ago, he was encouraging developers to participate by pointing to a lineup of roughly 50 to 100 games. Participation now reaches into the thousands, something he described as “the pendulum swinging to the opposite side.”
For a small studio trying to get its demo noticed, that means a much more crowded showcase.
Valve Wants Better Steam Discovery Instead of Restricting Developers
Giardino said Valve has faced similar requests throughout Steam’s history, including calls to filter out Steam Greenlight and Steam Direct releases.
Its approach remains focused on improving the shopping experience.
“We don’t think we’re perfect and there’s plenty of room for improvement,” Giardino said. “Rather than limiting developer access, making Steam a smarter and more dynamic platform is the starting point of our philosophy.”
Steam Wishlists Alone Don’t Guarantee Visibility
Valve also addressed a familiar obsession among indie developers, especially wishlist counts.
Steam’s official documentation says purchases and people playing a game are strong signals that it should be shown to more users. Wishlists generally don’t influence algorithmic visibility, although there are exceptions, including the Popular Upcoming tab.
Wishlists still help developers reach interested players through launch and discount notifications. A large total, however, doesn’t automatically translate into wider promotion across Steam.
Valve Addresses AI Clone and Extortion Concerns
Developers also raised threats from people demanding payment to avoid having their games copied using AI.
Giardino said cloning predates generative AI, though the technology has accelerated it. He encouraged studios to build relationships with players and keep improving their games through updates.
Especially for extortion cases, Valve pointed developers toward law enforcement while inviting them to report incidents to the company for investigation and possible assistance. The session offered no concrete commitment to a new AI filter or dedicated anti-cloning system.
