AI Cloning Could Become the Biggest Threat to Video Game Playtests
News Source
β’Mon, 19 Oct 2026 18:48:58 GMT
π° What Happened
Developer Digital Sun has cancelled a planned public playtest for its game ReVamp. Just over a week ago it announced the test at the Triple-i Initiative showcase. Now it will run a much smaller test through its Discord, starting October 29.
The studio said it was worried about games being reverse-engineered, cloned and published before the original is out. With launch months away, it said a large public build felt like too big a risk.
π The Backstory
AI tools have made it easier to copy a game's look, code and systems fast. Reports of near-copies of unreleased games appearing online have grown. Small studios have the most to lose, because one clone can take away launch sales.
Digital Sun still hopes to open a public test around January. ReVamp is due out on March 25. It mixes tower defence and side-scrolling action. The studio also asked platforms to protect original work better.
π― Why It Matters
Players lose out when studios hide games until launch. Cloning also makes it harder for small teams to take risks on new ideas.
Developer Digital Sun has cancelled a planned public playtest for its game ReVamp. Just over a week ago it announced the test at the Triple-i Initiative showcase. Now it will run a much smaller test through its Discord, starting October 29.
The studio said it was worried about games being reverse-engineered, cloned and published before the original is out. With launch months away, it said a large public build felt like too big a risk.
AI tools have made it easier to copy a game's look, code and systems fast. Reports of near-copies of unreleased games appearing online have grown. Small studios have the most to lose, because one clone can take away launch sales.
Digital Sun still hopes to open a public test around January. ReVamp is due out on March 25. It mixes tower defence and side-scrolling action. The studio also asked platforms to protect original work better.
Players lose out when studios hide games until launch. Cloning also makes it harder for small teams to take risks on new ideas.