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.
I went to a rural Canadian school, thank you very much! Please don’t run away tho, you went through all the work to set up your lil’ soapbox and everything. Let’s chat.
Here’s why your earlier comment is (in my humble opinion) very silly. You used a bad comparison. And I’m not just talking about the bringing up Hitler bit.
First off, nobody needs to learn that. That’s an inherited skill. Secondly, it’s bad in the context of the post. Learning how using AI is wrong is an objectively positive thing, but your example is someone learning negative things. It’s bass ackwards, as the kids used to say ('twas me).
What would you prefer the dev do? You can’t change the past, so what actions should he have taken to align with your obviously superior moral code? Self flagellation? Volunteer for a drawing-and-quartering position?
You can keep up your current act if you want. Attack anyone and everyone who even tries to better themselves. Pat yourself on the back while you’re at it, but I don’t jive with the punishment-only model of reformation. If this guy realized he was doing something wrong and changed his ways then I think that’s a good thing. Learning should be encouraged, not punished.
P.S. immediately bringing up Hitler as a comparison is silly, and makes you look silly. Try to not do that, and also try to use comparisons more grounded in reality.
Edit: I may have initially misunderstood this bit
I took that to mean before he released, but maybe you meant after he learned. That makes a bit more sense. If that is the case, I will address.
Apparently the AI bits were art assets. That’s kinda hard to learn in a hurry, and art is expensive. Mayhaps he could have got by with free assets, but then there’s always the chance to get accused of asset flipping.
Also learning anything takes time. Either way, pulling it was probably the quicker and better option.
Edit 2: Electric Boogaloo - Fixed a typo. I’m bad at phone typing, and I feel bad 😞
Oh man, you got jabaited