Anthropic updated Claude Code’s Opus 5.5 instructions to discourage users from recreating specific existing video games, including copies presented under a different name or described as original. The change, added around October 27, directs the tool to continue helping with original games, genre-based projects, and work using users’ own designs and assets. Anthropic said copying another party’s game could violate its usage policy, and that it will adjust the guidance to balance preventing infringement with supporting legitimate projects.
The restriction comes amid growing concern that AI tools can help produce unauthorized clones of games quickly, potentially letting copies reach players before the originals. Some independent developers have withheld public demos for fear they could be used to make replicas, while developers have asked Steam operator Valve how it will address such clones. Anthropic’s rule may discourage casual copying, but it cannot reliably establish whether a user owns the underlying idea or assets, and safeguards can sometimes be bypassed through carefully worded prompts. Users could also switch to open-weight models without comparable limits. The change therefore signals that Anthropic does not want Claude to facilitate game cloning, but it may offer only partial protection for developers.
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