Hardest is a free rock-paper-scissors game on Steam that was released in 2025 and made by indie developer Eero Laine under the studio name Rakuel. It's one of many games on Steam that includes a disclaimer towards the bottom of its page indicating it was made with generative AI tools, and on January 30, 2026, Laine plans to delete the game from Steam because his girlfriend of one month made him realize that "AI is bad," and now wants nothing to do with the game he made using GenAI.
Laine explains how he made the game through GenAI tools he had access to through university, and while the tools at first seemed 'free' for him to use without repercussions, he explains that he now understands more of the larger picture of what it means to use AI and GenAI tools from an economic and environmental standpoint.
"This game will be deleted at 30.1," Laine begins in a post on the game's Steam page. "I made this game during the summer in [a] couple months and thought to use AI because in university there is so much brainwashing on students and all the tools are given for free, so I could generate unlimited images for free and so."
"But I have realized the AI is not actually free, and it has a major effect on the economy and environment. Some AI companies can use this game just existing as a reason to get more investment for their AI companies, that benefit no one, but rather suck resrouces from the economy from hard working people."
"I coded everything myself, so I can in the future make a new game with real assets if I feel like it, but the game existing in its current form is a disgrace to all game makers and players. Ethically only logical reason is to delete the game from Steam. The girl I've been dating for a month made me realize this. Thank you, Eero Laine."
GenAI has been, and will continue to be, a controversial topic in video games. On one side, we have people like Eero Laine and indie publisher Hooded Horses, who are entirely against GenAI, with the latter even adding a "no f***ing AI assets" clause to the contracts of games they decide to publish. Starfinder: Afterlight developers Epictellers Entertainment told Wccftech, "there's no point in using AI for any creative endeavor," and developers are even going out of their way to make it clear that they not only don't use GenAI tools, but have no intention of ever using GenAI tools.
Meanwhile, there are companies like Embark Studios and Larian Studios that have been more open about their GenAI use and support, and plenty of others who believe that GenAI will become part of a game developer's toolset as much as anything else is.
Whatever side of the aisle you sit on, it's clear that for Eero Laine, once his girlfriend pointed out some of the big negatives that go along with the current state of GenAI (not to mention what's happening with RAM prices), they could no longer support the tech, no matter how small their support may have been.
About the author: David has been writing about videogames, technology, and culture since 2020, with a focus on reporting daily news across multiple publications, including GameDaily.Biz, GameSkinny, and PlayStation Universe before joining Wccftech in 2025. David started contributing as Canada/US reporter for Wccftech's gaming section in 2025. Besides being up-to-date on the industry's movements, he loves interviewing developers, reviewing games, and writing intricate essays about the symbolism and layered meanings to be found in rich narratives as he's done for publications like GamesIndustry.Biz, LostInCult, and others. Outside of games he loves movies, music, theatre, his hometown, and his family, though not necessarily in that order.
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