Anthropic Bans Claude Code from Recreating Existing Games
The restriction, added to the Opus 5.5 prompt, applies even if the game is renamed or presented as original work, Anthropic said.
Anthropic has added instructions to Claude Code forbidding the creation of replicas of specific existing video games, even when the game's name is changed or the result is presented as original work. Anthropic technical staff member Adi Osmani confirmed the change on X, saying the restriction was added to the Claude Code Opus 5.5 prompt.
Osmani said using Claude for intellectual property infringement violates the company's usage policy. The guidance does not ban game development itself: original games, genre-based games, and games using the user's own designs and assets remain allowed.
According to Engadget, Anthropic added the instruction not to create replicas of specific games to Claude Code. Osmani said the company will keep tuning the policy to find an appropriate balance.
Background
In October 2025, games including Halo: Combat Evolved, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, and Grand Theft Auto V were decompiled with AI help and released as fan projects. Last year, about 500,000 writers filed a class action accusing Anthropic of using copyrighted material to train its AI models without permission, and Anthropic agreed to a $1.5 billion settlement. Recently, the estate of Elvis Presley filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Anthropic.
Quick answers
What does Anthropic's new Claude Code guidance forbid?
It forbids creating replicas of specific existing games, even if the game's name is changed or the result is described as original work.
Does the restriction ban game development itself?
No. Original games, genre-based games, and games using the user's own designs and assets remain allowed.
Who confirmed the change?
Anthropic technical staff member Adi Osmani confirmed it on X, saying the restriction was added to the Claude Code Opus 5.5 prompt.