Anthropic implements a regulation to prevent Claude Code from replicating existing games

Image credit: Anthropic

Anthropic has introduced an update to its AI tool, Claude Code, aimed at preventing it from producing replicas of existing video games.

The update, reportedly implemented on October 27, was noted by an X user, Chasm. This modification, internally called "tengu_heron_brook," instructs the model to focus on developing new games, those within a specific genre, or projects based on the user's original designs and assets. It explicitly prohibits the creation of direct replicas of existing games, even if rebranded. Chasm highlighted that this feature is non-optional for users.

Addy Osmani, part of the technical staff at Anthropic, later confirmed on X that this adjustment was added to Claude Code's prompt on Opus 5.5. Osmani noted the change was to prevent the tool from being used to infringe on intellectual property as per the company’s usage guidelines.

"The aim is for the tool to continue supporting original and genre-specific game creation using user-developed designs and assets," Osmani stated. "We will keep refining the approach to ensure a proper equilibrium."

According to Game Developer, the practicality of this rule is uncertain. Restrictions on AI can often be circumvented through specific prompts, and the tool currently lacks a way to verify the ownership of the game designs or assets used by users.

This update coincides with rising concerns among developers about the potential misuse of AI for game cloning. For instance, Digital Sun delayed a public playtest for its game ReVamp over worries about its demo being inputted into an AI tool. Similarly, Valve is under scrutiny to clarify its approach to preventing AI-generated clones from overshadowing original games on Steam.