A bizarre chain of Steam releases has turned one viral haystack game into a debate about cloning, code ownership and the risks of AI-assisted development.
One viral concept, a growing list of copies
Studio Bitdot’s Needle In A Haystack Simulator became an online sensation in August after clips of its incremental sorting gameplay spread across social media. Soon afterwards, Steam users spotted several similarly named releases, including A Needle In a Haystack and Story of The Needle In a Haystack.
At least 14 games based on the same broad concept are now reported to be on Steam. One of them, NoGlyph’s Needle In A Haystack, launched on September 29. The game does not appear to have been made with AI-assisted coding, and its Steam store page does not include an AI disclaimer.
Nas announced a game built around finding one needle among 5,000,000 pieces of hay in an August 22, 2026 social-media post.
Code similarities become the flashpoint
On October 17, NoGlyph alleged that Little Field Studios’ A Game About Needle In A Haystack, released the previous day, had copied code from its own project.
In a Steam post, NoGlyph said its examination had found 13 classes with identical names. The studio also claimed that more than half of the relevant functions matched exactly, including error messages and a reference to a shader that does not exist in the newer game.
NoGlyph did not directly label the release as AI-generated or AI-assisted. However, lead developer Jahvin reportedly added further detail in a Discord comment, saying 39 methods shared the same names and were identical byte for byte.
Those similarities have prompted speculation about AI-assisted decompilation: using artificial intelligence to make a closed-source game’s code easier to read before transferring that code into another project. The allegation remains part of an ongoing dispute, rather than a confirmed finding by an independent investigation.
“Everything is open sourced. Everything can be stolen in a day,” developer Delrith wrote in a October 17, 2026 post discussing the wider risks of decompilation and game crossovers.
Why indie developers are pulling back
Some Steam users have described the situation as “karma”, arguing that NoGlyph had itself benefited from the popularity of Studio Bitdot’s original game. That reaction highlights the uncomfortable distinction between borrowing a simple game premise and allegedly reusing another developer’s implementation.
The issue extends beyond the haystack releases. A Roblox creator reportedly recreated the upcoming indie title Escape the Walls within 24 hours of its developers sharing a video. As reported by GameSpark, the creator said Claude handled the work while they watched.
Alliance Arts has also cancelled plans to release a demo of Drunken Goddess Reflux on Steam. The studio was concerned that a public demo could allow AI-assisted imitators to reproduce the game’s presentation and gameplay before the full release.
For small studios, responding legally to every suspected copy is rarely affordable. The likely consequence is a more cautious approach to development reveals, with fewer demos, early-access launches and gameplay trailers. That creates a difficult environment for independent creators, who rely on public visibility but may now fear giving potential imitators enough material to work from.
For arcade operators, cabinet builders and enthusiasts following the wider games industry, the dispute is another reminder that distinctive design and original software remain valuable assets. Our Arcade Blog covers developments across the arcade and gaming world, while our Arcade Machine Buying Guide can help readers assess hardware projects with a clearer understanding of what they are buying.
Those planning a home build can also explore DIY arcade kits, arcade parts and complete arcade machines.
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