Anthropic stops Claude from copying existing video games
Anthropic has updated Claude's instructions so it will not rebuild specific existing games, while original and genre games stay allowed.
The facts
- According to Engadget, Anthropic added new lines to Claude telling it to build original and genre games but not to recreate a specific existing game, even if renamed.
- Addy Osmani, a member of Anthropic's technical staff, confirmed the change on X, saying using Claude to infringe IP is against the usage policy.
- Osmani said original games, genre games and games built from a user's own designs and assets should be unaffected, and that Anthropic will keep iterating.
- Engadget says the change follows a surge of AAA games being decompiled with AI help and playable in browsers, including Halo: Combat Evolved, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Grand Theft Auto V.
Case notes · Danny's take
Why it matters
AI coding tools make it easy to copy things that took studios years to build. Now the companies behind the tools are being pushed to decide where the line sits. Anthropic has already paid out over copyright claims, so this looks like a company closing a door before it becomes another legal problem. Expect other AI labs to face the same question.
For builders
If you build games with AI tools, make sure your project comes from your own designs and assets, or a genre, not a specific title. A rename won't protect you, and the rules in these tools can change quickly.
Not financial advice. Do your own investigation.
This story was summarised with AI from Engadget's reporting and checked against our editorial policy. Danny's take reflects his views. Disclaimer.
Danny Walter
Founder of Moon Republic, Volt Terminal and Moon Republic Academy. Author of The Market Is a Crime Scene and After the Applause.