AI game clones are making indie developers afraid to show their work
Independent video game developers are becoming increasingly reluctant to share early work publicly due to the rapid rise of artificial intelligence tools that can quickly generate clone games.
Independent video game developers are becoming increasingly reluctant to share early work publicly due to the rapid rise of artificial intelligence tools that can quickly generate clone games. Developer Alliance Arts recently delayed a public demo for its demon-themed Russian Roulette drinking game, *Drunken Goddess Reflux*, ahead of Steam Next Fest.
The studio stated on social media that it feared the demo's content could be used to rapidly imitate or replicate the game with AI tools before its official launch. Instead, Alliance Arts plans to limit the demo to closed sessions under strict streaming rules. Other creators have reported similar encounters.
In March, developer Freya Holmér shared a prototype of a *Tetris*-style game played on a rotating pivot point, only to find multiple vibe-coded copies widely playable days later. *Papers, Please* developer Lucas Pope also noted on an April podcast that he feels less comfortable discussing ongoing projects out of concern that his ideas will be absorbed by AI or copied.
While some clone creators defend the practice by comparing it to historical game inspirations, indie developers warn that rushed knockoffs threaten their discoverability and sales.
Critics argue that these rapid copies create a hostile environment where creators are forced
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Original publication: 19 October 2026 22:29
