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Epic wants to pay you $50,000 to vibe code an AI slop game
Epic Games is hosting the 2026 AI MegaJam, challenging participants to create games using AI tools with Unreal Engine or UEFN. The event offers cash prizes and grants, including up to $50,000 for standout projects, aiming to encourage AI integration in game development. However, the initiative faces significant backlash from developers and the gaming community due to ongoing concerns about AI's impact on the industry.
Half-Life 3 re-re-re-confirmed: A Valve dev just said 'HLX' out loud
Valve composer Mike Morasky inadvertently mentioned "HLX," a rumored codename for a new Half-Life game, during a GameSoundCon panel, sparking renewed speculation about Half-Life 3. His co-panelist David Feise reacted with surprise, suggesting the comment was not intended for public disclosure, and Morasky later appeared to reference the slip-up.
Why People Think Valve Just Accidentally Confirmed Half-Life 3
Valve sound designer Mike Morasky may have accidentally revealed a new Half-Life project, referred to as "HLX," during a Game Sound Con presentation. This mention, quickly followed by a colleague's remark, has fueled speculation among fans that HLX could be Half-Life 3, a game long rumored and highly anticipated.
Valve Developer Mistakenly Mentions Rumored Half-Life 3 Codename
A Valve developer inadvertently revealed the rumored codename for Half-Life 3 during a recent conference. The mention of the long-speculated title has reignited discussions among fans.
Valve dev mentions rumored Half-Life game HLX at a presentation, coworker immediately calls him out: "Nice…
During a presentation on Valve's audio engine, designer Mike Morasky casually mentioned 'HLX,' a rumored Half-Life game, prompting a coworker to immediately call him out. This marks one of the clearest nods yet to the long-speculated title, though no official confirmation or release window was provided.
Smash Bros. director Masahiro Sakurai thinks gen-AI will cause a surge of unoriginal games, but says human creativity can't be replicated
Super Smash Bros. director Masahiro Sakurai believes generative AI will lead to a significant increase in unoriginal games, with many becoming unprofitable due to mass production and poor quality. However, he asserts that unique human creativity, exemplified by designers like Fumito Ueda, cannot be replicated by AI as it can only reference existing works.
Redditor's mother-in-law finds missing Steam Deck on train, returns it to its rightful owner in a soap box nine…
A Reddit user's mother-in-law discovered a lost Steam Deck OLED on an Amtrak train and, after months of trying to locate the owner, has successfully returned it. The user went to great lengths, including contacting Steam Support and searching various subreddits, to reunite the device with its owner. The story highlights a positive act of kindness and a happy ending for all involved.
"AI is a technofascist, anti-human and anti-art project", says creator of lefty tech satire Future? No Thanks!, before explaining why he used it anyway
Paulo Pedercini, the creator of the game Future? No Thanks!, has disclosed the use of generative AI tools for a small fraction of the game's code and for character voice acting. Despite his strong criticisms of AI as a "technofascist, anti-human and anti-art project," Pedercini used tools like ChatGPT and Claude for bug fixing and text-to-speech, arguing for nuance in the discussion around AI in game development.
Games like Call of Duty and EA Sports FC most at risk of losing players during GTA 6 launch, according to new data
New data from gaming consultancy Open World suggests that titles like Call of Duty, Apex Legends, and EA Sports FC are most at risk of losing players during the launch of Grand Theft Auto 6. The analysis indicates that competitive shooters and sports games, along with driving and high-stakes session games, are most likely to see player migration. Developers are advised to avoid major content updates or marketing pushes during GTA 6's launch window to mitigate player loss.
MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ review - superlative playing power with familiar Windows handheld caveats
The MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ review highlights its powerful Intel Arc G3 Extreme SoC, delivering significantly faster gaming performance than previous handheld PCs, including the Steam Deck OLED. Despite its high price point and a disappointing display compared to its predecessor, the device offers a comfortable design, quiet operation, and competitive battery life for demanding games.
Nurse Harrow brings questionable medical practices to Deadlock's City Never Sleeps update
Valve has released Nurse Harrow, the final character for Deadlock's City Never Sleeps update. The article details her abilities, which include damaging enemies, healing herself and allies, and supporting combat. Voting statistics from the update revealed that Nurse Harrow voters had the highest win rate, and the closest vote was between Baba and Solomon.
Games with loot boxes and other "paid random items" re-rated PEGI 16 as new rules come into force, hopefully cutting down on kids gambling somewhat
European ratings board PEGI has updated its rules, re-rating games with loot boxes and other paid random items to a minimum of PEGI 16. This change aims to reduce the accessibility of predatory mechanics to younger players. While the focus is on paid random items, other proposed changes regarding NFTs and battle passes are also mentioned.
I'm not sure if the Steam Frame hits any corners in this bouncing screensaver, but maybe if I watch long enough the…
A Reddit user has created a free, open-source Windows screensaver featuring artwork of Valve's Steam VR headset and controllers. This project offers a low-cost way for users to engage with the hardware's aesthetic, even if they cannot afford the headset itself. Valve has also released CAD files for the Steam VR hardware under a Creative Commons license, encouraging community projects.
Is Valve now working on the Steam Deck 2? Rumors suggest leaked AMD chip could be the engine of the next-gen handheld
A leaked AMD 'Gainsborough' APU benchmark suggests Valve may be developing a successor to the Steam Deck, potentially named Steam Deck 2. The codename 'Gainsborough' aligns with Valve's previous use of Final Fantasy VII-inspired codenames for Steam Deck hardware. While early benchmarks show a slight performance increase over the current Steam Deck, there are doubts about the timing and the significance of the generational upgrade.
This Steam Next Fest has over 7,000 games so far, almost double what we saw in June 2026 - and so, so many of them are…
The current Steam Next Fest features over 7,000 game demos, nearly double the amount from June, but a significant portion appears to heavily utilize AI-generated assets. This trend is raising concerns about the quality and originality of submissions, with some developers even withdrawing their games due to fears of being copied by quickly made, AI-driven titles.
Intel bringing faster upscaler to Valve's Proton - XMX accelerated XeSS could come to SteamOS in boost to future…
Intel is working to integrate its XeSS upscaling technology into Valve's Proton compatibility layer, which is crucial for running Windows games on Linux and Steam Deck. This move aims to leverage Intel's XMX cores for improved performance on Linux-based systems, potentially benefiting handheld gaming PCs and Steam Machines.
Steam Frame review: Untethered reality
Valve's Steam Frame headset offers a compelling, albeit expensive, virtual reality experience with a sleek design and comfortable fit. While the hardware boasts impressive specifications and a user-friendly SteamOS interface, its high cost and limited exclusive software library, relying heavily on older titles like Half-Life: Alyx, make it a difficult recommendation compared to the more affordable Meta Quest 3.
New launcher for viral AI mash-ups of Elden Ring, Minecraft, and more emerges – with some very questionable terms…
A new launcher called Melty has emerged, allowing users to play AI-generated mashups of games like Elden Ring and Minecraft. However, the launcher's terms of service are highly questionable, and it has been found to include dormant gameplay-recording software without user consent, raising significant privacy concerns.
Steam Week in Review: Steam Next Fest has over 8,000 demos, as worthless vibe coded slop levels up
Steam Next Fest features over 8,000 game demos, a significant increase from previous years, with many criticized as low-effort "vibe coded" creations. The article argues that AI tools, particularly Anthropic's Claude Opus, are enabling rapid cloning and decompilation, leading to a proliferation of unoriginal games and concerns about intellectual property theft, potentially harming independent developers.
Steam Tests Achievement Sets for Separate Base-Game and DLC Progress
Valve is testing a new beta feature on Steam called Achievement Sets, which allows developers to group achievements into separate collections for base games and DLC. This system will also allow for archived achievements and a revised tracking page, with 17 games already supporting the feature.
