Epic's Tim Sweeney calls Steam's AI disclosure policy "a political act"

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has renewed his criticism of Steam's AI disclosure policy, describing Valve's stance as a political act. GamesIndustry.biz reported the comments on 26 October 2026, citing IGN. They came in replies on social media, including one agreeing with a user who called the policy absurd.

Sweeney said the main use of what he called both categories of disclosures is to drive cancel campaigns against games and deprive them of revenue unless developers go along with a movement's political goals. The source does not spell out what the two categories are. He also argued that blocking free choice to adopt productive technology is itself a political act.

He drew a comparison to politics. He asked whether Valve should force developers to list their political affiliation if many gamers dislike one party, and whether that would be pro-consumer. In another post he likened the AI statements to mandatory political essays or voting-history lists.

Sweeney also said Epic has been extremely open with developers and the public about how it uses AI. GamesIndustry.biz notes he has long argued that platforms should stop tagging games that use AI, and that AI use in development should not affect how a game is received.

This is not the first time he has targeted Valve on the subject. In June, he said Valve's disclosure labels for AI-using projects on Steam were "really irresponsible", arguing they make it much harder for developers to succeed. He said developers must either skip tools that could make them far more productive or risk losing out to competitors that use them.

These are one executive's opinions, not a policy change. The source does not report any change to Steam's disclosure requirements, and it includes no response from Valve. Developers shipping on Steam should keep following Valve's current rules.