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Steam Next Fest Showcases Thousands of Demos as AI Use Triggers Fresh Calls for Filters

Pressure mounts on Valve to add AI tagging following disclosures in top demos.

Overview

  • The weeklong event runs February 23–March 2 with roughly 3,455 playable demos on Steam.
  • PCGamesN reported that 10 of Valve’s Top 100 Next Fest demos disclose generative AI use, intensifying demands for an AI filter.
  • Steam policy requires developers to declare generative-AI content on store pages, but there is no dedicated AI tag or storefront toggle to hide such titles.
  • Pocketpair’s John “Bucky” Buckley said AI-made capsule art discourages him from trying demos, mirroring growing player frustration on Reddit.
  • To aid discovery, media outlets published curated lists highlighting standouts such as Titanium Court, Windrose, Vampire Crawlers, and Outbound.