Anthropic has updated its AI assistant Claude to prevent users from recreating existing video games. The update comes after an X user discovered new lines of code added to the system.
New Restrictions on Video Game Recreations
The updated code explicitly directs the AI to build original games, genre-based games, and titles using a user’s own designs and assets. However, the instructions state that Claude must not build a recreation of any specific existing game, regardless of whether it receives a new name or is labeled as original.
As reported by Engadget, Addy Osmani, a member of Anthropic’s technical staff, confirmed these adjustments on X. Osmani explained that the company aims to steer the platform away from duplicating specific titles because utilizing Claude to infringe upon intellectual property violates the established usage policy. Osmani further noted that original games, genre games, and projects utilizing user-owned designs remain unaffected, and the company will continue adjusting the system to find the proper balance.
Context and Previous IP Challenges
The implementation of these restrictions coincides with a rising trend of major AAA games being decompiled with AI assistance and rendered playable on web browsers. Recently, fan projects featuring titles such as Halo: Combat Evolved, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, and Grand Theft Auto V have emerged through vibe-coding methods.
Anthropic has previously encountered intellectual property disputes. The company agreed to a record-setting $1.5 billion settlement last year following a class-action lawsuit where half a million authors claimed Anthropic utilized copyrighted works to train its AI models. In addition, the estate of Elvis Presley initiated a lawsuit against the company over similar copyright concerns.
