AI in video games is a caustic enough subject that Valve requires developer disclosure if a title utilizes the generative technology. This way, people who have qualms about AI or its impact can opt out of purchasing anything that uses the genAI. One developer, however, is saving everyone from the moral quandary in the first place by just deleting their game altogether.
Hardest is a free-to-play roguelike on Steam that was released in the summer of 2025 with the tagline, “stop time, summon tsunamis, shoot with bubble guns, feed cards to mimic, collect rare negative cards!” Except for a user who says the game helped him bond with his son, Hardest mostly got a negative reception. “I assume the whole thing is AI slop,” one reviewer wrote.
You’d think flopping like this would be the end of the story, but half a year later, Rakuel, the developer, has undergone a revelation. On Jan. 10, the indie creator posted an update to Hardest announcing that he would pull the game from the platform by the end of the month.
In the announcement, Rakuel explained that he made the small game in a couple of months through the help of AI. At the time, he didn’t see the harm in it; if anything, people around him encouraged it. The tools were free, and the possibilities seemed limitless.
Since then, however, Rakuel says that he started dating a girl. The relationship is only a month old, but that’s long enough for the persuasive paramour to convince Rakuel about the pitfalls of AI-generated assets.
“I have realized the AI is not actually free, and it has a major effect on the economy and environment,” Rakuel wrote. “Some AI companies can use this game just existing as a reason the get more investment for their AI companies, that benefit[s] no one, but rather suck resources from the economy from hard working people,” he continued. Earlier in the post, he disowned his previous actions by noting he had been “brainwashed” by university students who used AI frequently.
The change of heart won’t be a huge loss for Rakuel, who considers the whole thing a learning experience. He notes that he did actually code some of Hardest himself, and that he’s confident he can make something with bespoke art in the future.
“But the game existing in its current form is a disgrace to all game makers and players,” he declared. “Ethically, [the] only logical reason is to delete the game from Steam. The girl I’ve been dating for a month made me realize this.”
For now, you can still download Hardest and see what the fuss is about. After Rakuel pulls it from Steam, it’ll remain in your library until you get rid of it. The developer might encourage it, anyway.
