What Do Steam Fans Really Think About AI in Games?

This analysis examines the attitudes of core Steam users toward artificial intelligence in video games, while also providing updated estimates for Steam’s global monthly active users (MAU). The findings are derived from a survey of approximately 3,800 committed Steam fans conducted between June 25 and July 2, 2026, as part of a broader ongoing research initiative.

The survey reveals significant consumer skepticism regarding AI implementation. While 43% of respondents express no major issues with AI disclosure, 31% view it negatively, with a subset indicating they would refuse to purchase such titles. Trust remains a primary concern; only 17% of participants believe developers are fully transparent about their use of audiovisual AI. Furthermore, 56% of respondents argue that AI-powered coding tools should be disclosed, despite current platform policies that exempt such efficiency-focused utilities from mandatory reporting. While there is conditional acceptance for AI in technical or repetitive tasks, there is strong resistance toward using the technology to replace human creativity.

Beyond consumer sentiment, the analysis provides a data-driven estimate of Steam’s scale. By extrapolating from European Union Digital Services Act filings—which reported 31.1 million MAUs in the region—and applying regional bandwidth share data, the analysis estimates that Steam reached approximately 198 million monthly active users by the end of 2025. This figure is supported by concurrent user growth trends, which suggest a platform-wide monthly active user base exceeding 200 million. These insights highlight both the evolving relationship between players and emerging development technologies and the continued expansion of the Steam platform on a global scale.