At the Steam Indie Connect developer event held during the 2026 BIC Festival in South Korea, Valve's business team discussed several pressing issues on the Steam platform. These included the recent surge of low-quality AI-generated games, the prevalence of counterfeit works, and the challenges faced by indie developers in gaining visibility. Valve emphasized that it is formulating strategies to address the issue of low-quality AI games without imposing restrictions on developers' use of tools. Instead, the focus will be on refining the platform's recommendation and game discovery algorithms.

In response to concerns raised about the recommendation mechanisms during the Next Fest, Valve clarified that participating games would be displayed randomly during the first two days of the event. This approach was designed to ensure fairness and prevent developers from exploiting algorithmic loopholes. Following this initial period, personalized recommendations would be introduced. Valve acknowledged that this system might temporarily allow some low-quality works to gain visibility but encouraged developers to focus on enhancing their games by incorporating unique creative elements and avoiding over-reliance on easily replicable gameplay mechanics.

To combat AI-generated counterfeit games, Valve reiterated its commitment to its existing anti-piracy strategies. The goal is to make the legitimate version of a game the most appealing option for players, rather than relying solely on punitive measures. In instances where developers face ransom demands related to copied games, Valve pledged to investigate each case individually and offer assistance within reasonable limits, rather than immediately escalating the matter to law enforcement agencies.