For IFComp 2026, we are introducing a new rule addressing the use of generative AI.
The guiding principle is that judges and players should experience work created by humans. Accordingly, all player-facing content in IFComp entries, including cover art, must be entirely created by humans.
Authors may continue to use tools of their choice, including generative AI tools, for development assistance such as editing, debugging, accessibility support, research, limited translation assistance, or coding. Entries may not require judges or players to interact with external AI or generative services during play.
This rule was informed by results from the 2025 post-competition survey and discussion within the IFComp Committee. We thank everyone who shared their feedback; this post-comp survey received the strongest response we have ever had, and it helped guide the Committee’s deliberations.
That's the update! If you're interested in some of the information from the post-competition survey that helped inform the decision, keep reading.
Survey charts on the GAI use-case questions from the survey are shared below to give a clearer picture of the feedback we received. Alt text on these images provides the complete percentage breakdown.
And, finally, we asked "Which of the following best reflects the approach you think IFComp should take regarding GAI in entries? Think of this as the bottom line for a potential new Author Rule." These are the responses we received:
38.4% - Technical and editorial assistance only: GAI may be used for support tasks such as grammar, translation, brainstorming, or debugging. GAI may not be used to create text, art, or music assets, and entries must not require judges to interact with an external AI system to function.
32.2% - No generative AI: Entries must not include or rely on any GAI-generated material in any form beyond spell checking.
10.9% - Transparency only: GAI may be used for any purpose, but authors must disclose how it was used.
5.7% - Human-reviewed but with limits: GAI may be used for art, music, or code, but not to generate text or dialogue that appears in the final entry, and entries must not require judges to interact with an external AI system to function.
4.7% - Human-reviewed creative use: GAI may be used for any element (text, art, music, code), as long as the author edits all AI-generated text before submission.
3.3% - No restrictions: Authors may freely use GAI for any purpose (including text, art, music, or code) with optional disclosure.
The following responses were unique / 1 response each:
Transparency with ethical source requirement: GAI tools *trained on ethically sourced or open-licensed data* may be used for any purpose, but authors must disclose how it was used.
Technical and editorial assistance only. Debugging is a valuable service and people shouldn't be penalized for limited programming skills. I also would prefer either no AI cover art *or* an opt-in to allow AI cover art. This would be a tricky thing to add on the entry form, but ... ideally I'd like human-made art to appear and then, only if the judge opts in, AI art.
No generative AI use.
mix of transparency and limited: should be disclosed, but no live connection allowed
Live APIs and multimedia only: GAI may be used for supplemental multimedia assets (with disclosure) but not for text, *unless* the text is being generated in realtime in response to player input.
It shouldn't even be allowed to be used for spellchecking.
I would be equally happy with "Technical and editorial assistance only" or "No generative AI." The last two options to be clear.
I don't think IFComp should dictate what tools authors can or can't use for tasks like brainstorming or debugging; I’d consider that outside the purview of what the comp organizers should be allowing or disallowing. My preferred rule would be the second-to-last without the "may be used for" sentence and with banning translation: GAI may not be used to create text, art, or music assets, or to translate your writing from one language to another, and entries must not require judges to interact with an external AI system to function.
Full transparency for any use as well as a complete ban on external systems. If someone manages to create a stand-alone IFchatbot that fits into Glulx, I'd want to see that. ;)
Between Tech Only and No GenAI, with an emphasis on no exceptions for text.
Today I released my debut interactive fiction games: The Secrets of Sylvan Gardens, The Path of Totality, and Fantasy Opera: Mischief at the Masquerade!
All three games are available to play for free in your web browser on itch.io or LampPostProjects.com, and through the Interactive Fiction Competition.
I'm very excited to finally be able to share these projects with the public! I hope you enjoy them ☺️
HUGE THANKS to each of the playtesters who helped me improve these games prior to public release: @unaarista, @rpgchoices, @max-tothe-imum, @crypt-glitch, @oryndoll, John Ayliff, Burt, Deborah, Peter M.J. Gross, Amanda Offord, and John R.!
The Secrets of Sylvan Gardens
When you find yourself sleepwalking in the lush ornamental gardens of the Sylvan Villa, you must discover how to break the thrall of a mysterious trance.
You will be aided in your journey by the gardens' keepers: a gardener, a botanist, a librarian, and an enigmatic hermit. Form bonds of friendship or pursue a slow-burn romance as you roleplay, helping these companions with quests that draw you deeper into their individual stories.
The Secrets of Sylvan Gardens will transport you into an original cozy fantasy setting inspired by Italian Renaissance gardens and Greek mythology.
• A story shaped by your decisions, with over 260 unique variations on the ending.
• Illustrated with 19 original watercolor paintings.
• Scored with nine original pieces of music by an award-winning classical composer.
• LGBTQ+ representation and four romance options with diverse genders.
Play on itch.io - LampPostProjects.com - IFComp
The Path of Totality
Journey through forest glen and over windswept moor to an ancient stone circle, where a goddess will grant blessings during the total solar eclipse.
Overcome natural hazards and mischievous pixies in your path. Form bonds of friendship or pursue a slow-burn romance with a traveling party of four diverse travel companions — two half-orcs, a halfling, and an elf — each with their own stories to tell.
Play as a pilgrim, adventurer, or astronomer in this cozy fantasy adventure inspired by the landscapes and folklore of the Dartmoor and the Southwest of England.
• Three roleplaying backgrounds and four romance routes, each with unique endings.
• Illustrated with original watercolor paintings.
• Player character customization, including fully customizable personal pronouns.
• LGBTQ+ representation and romance options with diverse genders.
Play on itch.io - LampPostProjects.com - IFComp
Fantasy Opera: Mischief at the Masquerade
Teatro della Fantasia is the premier opera house in the fantastical city of Lyra. The artists are hard at work preparing for opening night of the season. This annual event marks the beginning of Carnival, a time of masquerades — and, invariably, mischief.
You're a private investigator who has been hired to ensure the show goes off without a hitch. Will you uncover the devious plot that threatens opening night? You must, or you won't get the chance to dance with someone special at the masquerade ball!
This humorous, character-driven roleplaying game evokes the atmosphere of 17th century Venice in a queer-positive, original cozy fantasy setting populated by elves, tieflings, bugbears, and gnomes.
• A mystery-solving game with (optional) romance scenes at the end.
• RPG-style mechanics with stats, die rolls, and skill checks.
idk how likely it is that anyone on the transgender autistic website likes text-based adventure games, but i have an entry in this year's interactive fiction competition if anyone wants to check it out. i'm new to inform 7 and i wrote this in a couple of days, so it's pretty amateur, but i think it came out pretty fun. i would call it a dungeon crawler. you could potentially call it transgender body horror erotica.
it's unfortunately unavailable to ip addresses based in the UK due to the game having mature themes and the ifcomp website not having the resources to accommodate the online safety act. if you're in the UK and don't have a vpn and want to check it out, i can send you the zip and you can play it in your browser from the html file.
Help! I Can’t Find My Glasses! is a short and light-hearted slice of life game, featuring a short-sighted Literature Club student as they navigate through the maze of their school.
★ PLAY THE GAME HERE ★ WALKTHROUGH ★ TAG
Your glasses are missing, and it reeks of a cruel prank to your dependence on them. You have your suspects. Now it’s only a matter of time before you unmask them. Will you find your glasses, and see what’s hidden in their heart?
Customizable main character: name, gender, and more
3 fluffy romances (gender-customizable love interests) and 1 secret romance
Diverse branching, with 2 main endings
Jaime (gender-selectable)
The big shot on campus, Jaime is beloved by everyone. That being said, there’s something about them that doesn’t quite add up. Will you be able to tear down their mask, and see them as the thief they are?
Minh (gender-selectable)
The center of entertainment, Minh is the one who draws in laughter and fun. Trouble is their middle name, and you can’t help but feel like another target for their mischief. Will you reclaim your glasses, and show them that not every joke is funny?
Thanh (gender-selectable)
The mysterious outcast. Like seriously, you can never tell what is going on in their mind. It’s as if they live in another world. Will you break through their wall, and finally get to see what’s behind it?
The 31st IFComp has interactive fiction to play (and rate)
Hard to believe that IFComp has been a thing for thirty-one years now, and it's only getting better! Oh, it's also time to play and rate/vote on submissions for this latest iteration, where more than 80 pieces of interactive fiction await! Choose wisely and judge accordingly.
My new game, Yancy At The End Of The World! is available to play as part of this year's Interactive Fiction Competition!
Yancy is an aroace person who thinks they don't have a creative bone in their body. But then the zombie apocalypse begins, and they realize they never pursued their dream of becoming a photographer. So they pick up a camera as the world starts crumbling around them.
Go around Yancy's neighborhood, chat with friends at night, and try to hold it together as everything changes. Who knows? It might not turn out the way you think.
Featuring:
Daily photo ops & bonding experiences in the community
A high school reunion with plenty of ups & downs
A queerplatonic tsundere
Too many neurodivergent & queer people to count
Aroace & agender rep by an aroace & agender person
Hidden creative secrets to be found (a true ending, a song, and a tarot reading, to name a few of them)
A depiction of how the zombie apocalypse would really go in our current society
A skip function for easy replayability
Play the game in the competition (and check out the other games while you're there!): https://ifcomp.org/ballot/#entry-2964
Or download it on itch.io: https://norbez.itch.io/yancy-at-the-end-of-the-world
Everyone involved in this game worked so hard on it, and I couldn't be more proud with the result. Thank you to every person who was a part of this project! Y'all are awesome.
P.S. After the competition, I plan to launch a Kickstarter to help fund more voice acting for the game and give people the opportunity to get a physical copy with feelies (special edition items)--if you're interested, please feel free to reach out to me!
Have you ever wanted to run away from your problems? Kiss girls?? Become a werewolf???
Now you can!!!*
Experience the heartwarming terror of Moonrise! In a video game made by a queer woman and for queer women and sapphic folk, this supernatural celebration of queer femininity takes you into the darkness and lets you own it. Use your compassion and sense of responsibility to make connections and fall in love. Or use your newfound fangs and claws to rip, shred, and tear through your problems. Is this the start of a satisfying, shape-shifting life full of romance, or the blood-soaked birth of a new deity of the forest? You decide!
Play as a trans woman, cis woman, or nonbinary person; lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, or asexual. Polyamory options included!
Date your nonbinary best friend, the ruthless Rogue leader, or the lycanthropic goddess amongst werewolves.
Build up your Empathy, Bloodthirst, Snark, Responsibility, Uncanny Valley, and Defense to survive lethal encounters and protect those you hold dear.
Pledge allegiance to the tradition of the Masquerade or the desperate, volatile Rogues.
Expose the supernatural underground to the blistering light or keep their secrets in the deep dark.
Embrace the feral monster within or hold fast to your humanity.
Get your spooky time on for the low, low price of $1.99. Available on iOS and Android, plus inside the Hosted Games app!
Play the demo here: https://www.choiceofgames.com/user-contributed/moonrise/
*Moonrise is a 49,000-word urban fantasy interactive novel by Natalie Cannon, where your choices control the story. It's entirely text-based—without graphics or sound effects—and fueled by the vast, unstoppable power of your imagination. Cannot guarantee real life girls or werewolf transformation.
