Anthropic has updated Claude Code’s system prompt to prevent the AI coding tool from being used to recreate existing video games, The Verge reports, citing Tom’s Hardware.
The change comes as retro gaming sees a wave of AI-made decompilations, recompilations, and ports. Anthropic is not banning game development in Claude Code altogether; the reported restriction is aimed specifically at reproducing games that already exist.
The policy update could make Claude Code less useful for projects that closely recreate classic titles, while leaving users free to build original games. The Verge’s report does not provide additional details about how Anthropic will distinguish an original project from a prohibited recreation.