Where to publish an AI-made game: itch.io, Steam, CrazyGames, Poki and Peerless compared

The short version

itch.io: the default first stop

itch.io is free, open and non-exclusive, and most AI game jams run there. With what itch calls open revenue sharing, you decide what percentage of your sales goes to the platform. HTML5 games upload as a ZIP with index.html at the root. The ZIP can hold up to 1,000 files and 500 MB extracted, with no single file over 200 MB (HTML5 docs).

On AI, itch's quality guidelines do two things. They ask you to tag generative AI use in the AI Disclosure section of your edit page. They also say that projects "predominantly created by algorithms or AI with minimal human intervention" are spam and may be removed from browse and search. Your page still works by direct link. It just stops being discoverable.

The catch is discovery. Publishing and being indexed are separate steps on itch, and in October itch's founder said a review flag had kept about 215,000 legitimate pages out of search (leafo, Oct 20, 2026). If that has happened to you, read itch.io game not showing in search: what to do.

Steam: the biggest store, but not for browser-only games

Steam needs a downloadable build. Rosebud's own Steam guide puts it plainly: "Steam doesn't accept browser-only games." You also pay a $100 Steam Direct fee per game, which Valve pays back once the game earns $1,000 in adjusted gross revenue. The first time, there's a 30-day wait between paying the fee and releasing.

Steam's content survey has a generative AI section. It separates Pre-Generated content, made with AI during development and shipped in the game, from Live-Generated content, created while the game runs. Live-generated AI also requires you to describe the guardrails that stop it producing illegal content. AI use is common there now. A scan of the 500 newest Steam games on Oct 25, 2026 found that 274 of them (54.8%) carried an AI disclosure. That's a lot of competition for the same new-release shelf.

CrazyGames: a web portal with a staged launch

CrazyGames reviews every submission and launches in two stages (docs). In Basic Launch, your game goes to a limited audience for 7 to 21 days. The SDK is optional at this stage, and there's no monetization. If your playtime, conversion and retention match benchmarks, you're invited to Full Launch. That stage requires the CrazyGames SDK and turns on revenue share. CrazyGames says you keep full ownership, and that you can publish there even if the game is already live elsewhere (FAQ). Payouts start once you've earned at least €100.

Poki: hand-picked, with web exclusivity

Poki picks every game itself and tests it with real players. On players who arrive through Poki, it splits revenue 50/50 with you, and in return it asks for web exclusivity. You can't put the same game on other web portals, though Steam, app stores and consoles stay yours (Working with Poki). Its content and quality guide has a section on AI. The rule is that "AI should empower, not shortcut," and Poki says it may decline a game that works but lacks originality.

Peerless: curated browser games with clear AI disclosure

Peerless is a store for indie and AI-native browser games. A person reviews every listing before it goes live. Publishing is free, with no upfront fee. Creators keep 80% of each sale, and founding creators keep 90% in their first year. Free games launch from their store page, and players only need a free account.

What Peerless accepts (engine guide):

• Browser exports from Three.js, Godot 4, Unity Web, plain JavaScript (Canvas, Phaser, PixiJS, Babylon.js) and compatible Unreal HTML5 builds
• Up to 100 MB compressed, 500 MB expanded and 5,000 files
• Or an HTTPS play URL, if your game is hosted somewhere else

For AI, the listing guide asks you to say what AI does in one concrete sentence when it runs during play. "AI-native" is a label confirmed during review rather than one you give yourself. The optional SDK adds friends, parties, presence, achievements and leaderboards. When your game runs outside Peerless, the SDK switches to standalone mode, so the same build can still ship to other stores.

To be honest about the trade-off: Peerless is new, and its audience is much smaller than itch's or the big portals'. What you get is a curated shelf that isn't flooded, a human review with written notes, and built-in shared play.

A sensible order for most AI-assisted browser games

1. Put the game on a URL you control, such as GitHub Pages, Netlify or Cloudflare Pages, so you always have a link to share.
2. Publish on itch.io and Peerless. Neither is exclusive, and both host HTML5 builds. Disclose your AI use the same way on both.
3. Apply to CrazyGames if your game holds players' attention, since its launch is decided by metrics.
4. Consider Poki only if web exclusivity suits you. Decide before you spread the web build around.
5. Go to Steam once you have a downloadable build and the game is worth the $100 fee and a real store page.

Frequently asked questions

Can I publish a game made with AI on Steam?

Yes. Steam accepts games that use generative AI, but you must describe that use in the content survey before review, and AI-generated content is reviewed like any other content. Steam also needs a downloadable build, charges a $100 Steam Direct fee per game and has a 30-day wait after you pay your first fee.

Does itch.io allow AI-generated games?

Yes. itch.io asks you to tag generative AI use accurately in the AI Disclosure section, and its quality guidelines treat mass-produced pages made with minimal human input as spam that can be removed from browse and search.

Do CrazyGames or Poki accept AI-assisted games?

Both review every game. Poki says AI should 'empower, not shortcut' and can decline games that lack originality. CrazyGames runs a QA check and a limited Basic Launch before a Full Launch with monetization.

Can I publish the same browser game in several places?

On itch.io, CrazyGames and Peerless, yes. Poki asks for web exclusivity on the games it takes, although Steam, app stores and consoles stay yours.

Does Peerless charge to publish?

No. Peerless has no upfront publishing fee. Creators keep 80% of each sale, and founding creators keep 90% in their first year. Free games are welcome.