Valve's new rule forcing developers to flag generative AI use on Steam pages has drawn strong backing from many indie devs. Some voices cheered it; others bristled — but among small studios and freelance artists the sentiment leans toward “don’t hide NN work.” Experts and artists argued that claiming generative content out of "financial necessity" tends to trigger sharp pushback from pros rather than sympathy. What lit the fuse this time was a disclaimer on a new indie title: its creator called AI a "production inevitability" and said they'd drop it once sales picked up. That line exploded on social feeds, with developers and animators staging a fierce protest. Indie creators keep repeating that they build code, sprites, and rigs by hand even with zero budget and while unemployed; many see the “can't finish without AI” excuse as a thin cover for cutting corners or avoiding paid specialists. The store badge — a visible flag — lets players spot human-made vs algo-made content at a glance, so buyers (hum., devs, artists) can weigh a purchase for themselves.