If you’ve spent any time online in the last year or two, you’ve likely seen AI imagery in some capacity. Whether a banner ad showing three-dimensional, uncanny characters or a weirdly glossy “Now Hiring” post from a nearby biz, the low-quality content, colloquially called “slop,” is increasingly permeating digital spaces.
Among the online platforms most affected, however, are digital game storefronts. Think Valve-owned Steam, Nintendo’s eShop, Sony’s PlayStation Store, and the like.
According to a Totally Human Media report cited by VGC, AI disclosures on Steam are up a mind-boggling 800% in 2025. This figure comprises nearly 8,000 games out of the platform’s 114,126 total offerings — about 7% of all games on the platform. Totally Human Media’s last study from April 2024 showed Steam’s offerings comprised just 1.1% AI.
Of all games added to the platform this year, 1 in 5 (20%) have reported generative AI incorporation in some capacity — character voices, text generation, key art, among other forms.
It’s worth noting that the platform likely hosts other content that duplicitously omits AI disclosures; these figures only reflect the content that explicitly acknowledges generative AI use.
Users have long shared their grievances with these online storefronts via social media, but as big entertainment brands like Nintendo ditch traditional game cartridges for intangible downloads, gamers turn to digital retailers more than they might otherwise have. Game ownership concerns aside (that’s another can of worms), gamers more frequently find themselves face-to-face with AI-generated “games” that would’ve otherwise never made it to a store shelf.
While these platforms’ accessibility means tiny, independent teams and low-budget projects can reach the public like never before, it also means disingenuous slop proponents can position their downloads alongside recognizable franchises from AAA studios. To the uninitiated — first-time players, kids, grandparents, non-gaming spouses or guardians — low-quality content’s juxtaposition with well-known, commercially successful releases could unjustly legitimize them. One psychological principle, called the “law of proximity,” asserts that humans often perceive items situated close to one another as groups, even if they’ve got nothing but platform compatability in common. While seasoned players might skip that uncanny “skibidi toilet”-inspired download, an unassuming parent might approve its purchase without batting an eye.
Naturally, companies’ capitalistic practices and pursuit of perpetual growth overshadow consumer concerns. Still, these massive platforms have a responsibility to their customers. Some game studios are opting for enhanced transparency, with some candidly ditching AI-generated content in response to backlash from consumers and creatives.
Still, there’s work to be done on the distributor’s end. Whether brands go about this by way of more clear-cut AI content disclosures, the ability to filter out AI-generated downloads, or the removal of “shovelware” altogether, here’s hoping players can soon open their go-to storefront without sifting through tons of Frozen characters’ surgical procedures.
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7 responses to “‘AI slop’ drowning digital game storefronts”
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