Anthropic Adds Claude Code Rule Barring Recreations of Existing Games
Anthropic said the two-sentence prompt addition on Opus 5.5 targets IP infringement while original and genre games keep working.
Anthropic confirmed on October 30, 2026 that it added two sentences to Claude Code's prompt on Opus 5.5 instructing the tool not to recreate a specific existing video game, according to GameDeveloper.com. The company released the update after the outlet contacted it for comment.
Anthropic said that using Claude to infringe intellectual property runs against its usage policy. It added that original games, games in an established genre, and games built from the user's own designs and assets are meant to keep working under the revised prompt.
The change drew attention before the company addressed it publicly: according to X user Chasm, the rule was pushed sometime on October 27. The rule carries the identifier tengu_heron_brook in Claude Code.
Developers weigh AI remakes
Over the past few months, users have built AI-driven remakes of classic and upcoming games, sometimes for fun and sometimes for financial gain. In the last few weeks, concern about fast-follow AI remakes spread among independent developers.
Digital Sun Games and other studios cancelled upcoming public playtests of ReVamp out of fear their demos would be used by AI tools to make clones. Earlier this week, Valve offered developers in South Korea an explanation of how it can prevent clones from supplanting their games on Steam.
Quick answers
What did Anthropic change in Claude Code?
It added two sentences to the prompt on Opus 5.5 telling the tool not to recreate someone else's specific existing game. Anthropic confirmed the update on October 30, 2026 after GameDeveloper.com asked for comment.
Can Claude Code still be used to make original games?
Anthropic said original games, genre games, and games built from the user's own designs and assets are meant to keep working.