Indie Dev Reveals Extortion Email Over AI Game Clone Threat
Takashi Mochibe of Studio AtHome says the sender demanded $200 in Steam items within 24 hours to keep an AI-made clone off the store.
Takashi Mochibe, an indie developer at Studio AtHome, has disclosed that he received a threatening email demanding Steam items in exchange for not releasing an AI-generated clone of his game, according to gamemeca.com. Mochibe is developing the strategy RPG Dragon's Chronicles.
According to the disclosure, the sender claimed to have already built a similar game using AI tools and said it was ready to release it on Steam first. The email demanded Steam items worth 200 dollars within 24 hours, with the clone withheld if the payment was made.
The sender also claimed to have attached a video proving the clone existed, but no video was included in the message. Mochibe did not comply, saying it would be impossible to easily clone his game with AI.
He suggested the message may be a scam sent at random to unidentified developers, and warned other developers about it.
Cloning fears across the indie scene
Dragon's Chronicles is in development with a planned Steam release in 2027. Concerns about AI-made clones have spread among indie developers overseas and in Japan, and some studios have already adjusted their plans: the developer of the strategy game Project Solaris said he would cut back regular development updates to prevent cloning, while Pukey Goddess Shot Trick dropped a planned demo at the October Next Fest in favour of a private test over the same concerns.
Quick answers
What did the sender demand from Takashi Mochibe?
Steam items worth 200 dollars within 24 hours, in exchange for not releasing an AI-made clone of his game.
Did Mochibe pay?
No. He did not comply and said it would be impossible to easily clone his game with AI.
When is Dragon's Chronicles planned to release on Steam?
The strategy RPG is planned for a Steam release in 2027.