Epic CEO Tim Sweeney Calls AI Labels in Games “Pointless”—Industry Sparks Debate
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Sweeney Questions the Point of AI Tags
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has sparked debate after
openly criticizing the growing trend of tagging video games with “AI-generated”
labels. According to him, these labels will quickly become meaningless as AI
becomes a routine part of game development across the industry.
His comments arrive at a moment when gaming studios,
artists, and players are already deeply split over how much AI should be
allowed to influence design, art, storytelling, and production.
Why Sweeney Thinks AI Labels Don’t Belong in Game Stores
Writing on X (formerly Twitter), Sweeney argued that
marking games with AI tags “doesn’t make sense” on digital storefronts,
especially when AI tools will inevitably be used in nearly all future
development workflows.
Agreed. The AI tag is relevant to art exhibits for authorship disclosure, and to digital content licensing marketplaces where buyers need to understand the rights situation. It makes no sense for game stores, where AI will be involved in nearly all future production.
— Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) November 26, 2025
He pointed out that AI disclosures are more appropriate in
places where authorship and licensing matter—such as digital art
marketplaces—because buyers need to understand rights, usage, and ownership.
But for game stores, he believes such labels will soon be outdated and
irrelevant.
His statement came in response to a post noting that Steam
and other platforms have begun attaching “Made with AI” badges to certain
titles.
A Divided Industry: “AI Helps, But Shouldn’t Replace Creatives”
Sweeney’s view challenges a large portion of the industry
that remains wary of AI’s rapid rise. Many developers argue AI should support
humans, not replace them.
Recently, Konrad Tomaszkiewicz, director of The
Witcher 3, shared his concerns, saying AI should remain a tool—not
something that copies human creativity or replaces original art and animation.
He added that games built entirely with AI “won’t have soul.”
Story-heavy titles like RPGs and visual novels are
especially vulnerable, as AI can mass-produce text and low-effort content
quickly. In fact, recent reports suggest Steam now hosts more than 1,000
games created with the help of generative AI.
Meanwhile, Some Studios Embrace AI Responsibly
Not every developer sees AI as a threat. Games such as Arc
Raiders have used AI-generated voices—trained from real performers—while
still relying heavily on human designers and long-established automation tools.
This balanced approach highlights the emerging middle
ground: AI as an assistant, not a replacement.
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