Indie Developer Deletes AI Game After Moral Epiphany

Sometimes the people closest to us help us see what really matters.

Finnish indie developer Eero "Rakuel" Laine is deleting his game "Hardest" from Steam by the end of January, marking a rare moment of accountability in the AI debate. The card game, released last July, used AI-generated art alongside Laine's own programming.

Laine explained that his university had normalized AI use by providing free tools and encouraging their adoption. But after reflection, he realized the technology wasn't actually free at all.

"AI has a major effect on the economy and environment," Laine wrote in his announcement. He recognized that even small projects like his could be used to justify more investment in AI companies that "suck resources from the economy from hard working people."

The developer made clear he programmed everything himself and only used AI for visual assets. Still, he called the game "a disgrace to all game makers and players."

In a surprisingly honest twist, Laine credited his girlfriend of one month with helping him see things differently. Her perspective gave him the clarity to make a difficult decision that would cost him time and effort.

Why This Inspires

Laine's decision stands out in an industry increasingly comfortable with AI shortcuts. Major studios like Larian (creators of Baldur's Gate 3) recently announced plans to use AI for concept art. Popular new games are using AI-generated voices without much pushback.

But Laine chose a harder path. He's planning to remake his game using only human-made assets, proving that second chances and course corrections are possible.

His transparency matters because it gives other developers permission to question tools they've been told are inevitable. Sometimes progress means admitting we took a wrong turn and choosing to walk back.

One young developer's conscience might seem small against an entire industry trend, but every movement starts with individuals willing to say "this isn't right." Laine's willing to start over and do it better.