My Winter Car Sparks Debate Over Generative AI

The release of My Winter Car on December 29, 2025 should have been a moment of celebration for fans of the harsh Finnish life simulator. Instead, the long-awaited sequel to My Summer Car quickly became the center of a heated debate about the use of generative AI in indie games. The discussion exploded on December 31, when indie developer Mike Klubnika shared a screenshot of the game’s AI disclosure on Steam and questioned why such a successful project would rely on artificial intelligence for creative work.

Valve now requires developers to clearly state when AI is used, and Amistech Games followed these rules openly. According to the Steam page, generative AI was used only for smaller, non-essential parts of the game. Some simple textures, like food packaging and carbon fiber patterns, were created with AI during development. Parts of the in-game TV visuals and speech also use AI, along with several radio tracks that feature AI-made vocals and instruments. The developer clarified that all lyrics and melodies were written by a human.

Johannes Räsänen, also known as Toplessgun, explained his decision before launch on Reddit. As a mostly solo developer working under a tight schedule, he said AI helped fill details that would otherwise be cut. He pointed to things like niche 1990s Finnish radio music as examples that would have been too expensive or time-consuming to create in a traditional way. In his view, AI was a practical tool, not a replacement for core creative work.

Critics of this choice argue that the success of My Summer Car changes the situation. The original game is believed to have earned tens of millions of dollars, leading some fans to say the sequel should rely fully on human artists and musicians. For them, AI content feels cheap and goes against the handmade spirit that made the first game popular.

At the same time, the wider community is far from united on the issue. Many players defend the decision, noting that AI is used only in the background and does not affect the main gameplay. They also point out that My Winter Car includes an option to turn off AI-generated radio and TV content by default, letting users replace it with mods or custom audio if they prefer.

Despite the online arguments, the game itself remains extremely popular. My Winter Car currently holds a very high user rating on Steam, with most reviews focused on its new survival systems, such as dealing with freezing weather and driving on icy roads. The AI debate has done little to slow its success. Toplessgun has also hinted that some AI-made assets may be replaced with human-made ones later during Early Access if time allows.