Anthropic limits Claude Code from cloning specific video games

In short: Anthropic has adjusted Claude Code so it is less willing to recreate specific existing video games.

What happened

Anthropic, the company behind the Claude AI assistant, updated the built-in instructions that guide Claude Code. Claude Code is a version of Claude designed to help with programming tasks.

The change is meant to steer users away from making direct copies of real, already released games. A user on X shared a screenshot claiming new lines were added that say, in effect, build original games or games based on the user’s own ideas, and do not recreate a specific existing game.

Anthropic employee Addy Osmani replied on X and said the company did add two sentences to Claude Code’s prompt for its Opus 5.5 model. A “system prompt” is the tool’s behind-the-scenes rule sheet (like instructions taped to the inside of a help desk manual). Osmani said the goal is to prevent copyright and other “IP” problems, since using Claude to infringe intellectual property is against Anthropic’s usage policy.

Anthropic says people should still be able to make original games, games in a general style or genre, and games built from their own designs and art files. Osmani also said the company will keep adjusting the rules, and asked users to share examples if Claude wrongly refuses work that is actually theirs.

Why it matters

AI tools can make it easier to copy a game’s look, feel, or code, which can create legal fights and frustrate the people who originally made it. For everyday users who just want to prototype a new idea, this change is a signal that Claude Code may push them toward “inspired by” projects instead of near-identical replicas.

Source: The Verge AI