Indie dev removing Steam game after new girlfriend tells him “AI is bad”

An independent developer has announced their game will be delisted from Steam after his new girlfriend educated him on the realities of Artificial Intelligence.

AI is becoming increasingly prominent in all facets of life. From game development itself to law enforcement, society is becoming ever more reliant on AI-driven tools.

University student Eero Laine knows this fact all too well, having relied on generative-AI programs to help complete a game published on July 1, 2025.

Now, however, six months on from its release, he’s taking it down imminently, as PC Gamer first spotted. Why? You ask. His new girlfriend informed him of the consequences of AI use, and he came to the conclusion that his project is a “disgrace.”

Indie dev calls his game a “disgrace” for using AI

The game in question is called Hardest. It’s described as a Rock-Paper-Scissors card game with roguelike elements, in theory, making each round that little bit different.

As you play, however, you notice some peculiar details. For starters, much, if not all of the card and character artwork has been generated by AI. Similarly, the game’s music also comes into question.

While the code itself was built authentically, Laine minced no words admitting to relying on generative AI to support the rest of the project. All up, it took him “a couple of months,” and he leaned on AI as at his university, “there is so much brainwashing [of] students.

“All the [AI] tools are given for free, so I could generate unlimited images for free,” he explained.

Only now, largely due to his new girlfriend of one month at the time of writing, has he “realized that AI is not actually free. It has a major effect on the economy and environment.”

As such, Laine came to the conclusion his game must vanish from Steam – it’s “the only logical” move, he argued.

“The game existing in its current form is a disgrace to all game makers and players. The girl I’ve been dating for a month made me realize this.”

Some early players indeed noted AI use in their Steam reviews, accusing the entire project of being “AI slop.” But some quite enjoyed their brief time with the experience, praising its game design in particular.

Laine is open to the idea of rebuilding the game with original assets down the line.