Party Animals Steam Rating Drops After AI Contest Backlash
Party Animals developer Recreate Games is facing major backlash after announcing a $75,000 AI-generated video contest that quickly triggered review bombing across Steam. Within less than 24 hours of the announcement, the game’s recent Steam reviews dropped from “Very Positive” to “Mostly Negative” following hundreds of negative player responses.
The contest, titled the “Golden Paw Awards,” encouraged players to create videos using generative AI tools. Submissions could include AI-generated images, music, animations, voiceovers, and other content. According to the studio, the goal was to lower the barrier of entry for players interested in participating creatively without advanced editing or animation skills.
Players Criticize AI Contest Announcement
Despite the explanation, many players strongly criticized the contest for promoting generative AI content. Concerns surrounding artist displacement, copyright ownership, and ethical AI usage quickly dominated community discussions online. More than 800 negative Steam reviews appeared shortly after the announcement, with many longtime players publicly stating they would stop supporting the game.
In response, Recreate Games issued a public apology and launched a community poll asking players whether the contest should be cancelled, converted into a human-only competition, or split into separate
AI and non-AI categories.
The controversy arrives during growing industry-wide debates regarding AI usage in gaming, especially as platforms like Steam continue updating disclosure requirements for AI-generated content.
