The indie game community is in disarray over AI and Big Walk

<figure> <img alt="A screenshot from Big Walk." data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="Image: Panic" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/BigWalk_Screenshot_Jun26_01.png?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;crop=0,0,100,100" /> <figcaption> </figcaption> </figure> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Some Independent Games Festival (IGF) jurors published a statement yesterday saying they would not vote for games that use generative AI in "any capacity." Soon after, the developer of indie hit <em>Big Walk</em> has published a statement saying it "sparingly" used AI in the "final stretch" of the game's development to "help work through difficult technical challenges and bugs."</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">According to the <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/austinwalker.bsky.social/post/3mzvyqaxnzc2w?ref=aftermath.site">jurors' statement</a>, while this year's IGF entries have been "incredible," there has been "a significant increase" in the number of games "developed with generative AI tools," leading to "fairly intense discussion and disagreement" with no "universal consensus …</p> <p><a href="https://www.theverge.com/games/1030994/big-walk-independent-games-festival-igf-ai">Read the full story at The Verge.</a></p>