● Covered by 2 sources · 2 reportsMedium impact2 neutral
Valve addresses Steam game submission delays, implements new developer requirements
Key points
- Steam game review times extended to 12 business days.
- Valve cites increased submissions and re-reviews as causes.
- New developer checklist requires 5 minutes of gameplay via Steam.
- Developers must confirm achievements and redistributables.
- Indie games are missing launch dates by weeks due to delays.
- Valve's goal for new title reviews is three to five days.
- Many new game titles are created with AI.
Increased Submission Volume and Delays
Valve has reported a significant increase in submissions for store and page reviews on Steam in recent months. This surge has caused review times to extend from the typical 3-5 business days to up to 12 business days, leading to frustrations among indie developers who have experienced missed launch dates.
Addressing Re-Review Frequency
A substantial portion of the delay is attributed to the need for re-reviewing games due to basic functional issues. To address this, Valve is introducing changes to the release checklist for developers, aiming to reduce the number of re-reviews required.
New Developer Requirements
One of the new requirements mandates that developers run their games through Steam for a minimum of five minutes. This step is intended to catch issues that might arise when a game is installed and played via Steam, even if it runs smoothly when launched directly. Additionally, developers must now ensure achievements are ready and confirm any necessary common redistributables, such as DirectX or Visual C++, that Steam may need to install.
Future Improvements Planned
Valve has indicated that further improvements to the build review process are currently in development. These ongoing efforts are expected to further streamline the submission and review workflow for games on the Steam platform.
Updates
- Indie games are missing launch dates by weeks due to delays.
- Valve's goal for new title reviews is three to five days.
- Many new game titles are created with AI.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
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How outlets covered it
Valve has changed its Steam game release rules to reduce a backlog in game approvals, which has caused delays for indie developers. The new rules require developers to perform more pre-submission checks, including running games on Steam for five minutes and confirming redistributables, to streamline the review process. This update follows a significant increase in game submissions, with a notable percentage disclosing AI-generated content.
Valve has acknowledged a significant increase in Steam game submissions, leading to review times of up to 12 business days. To mitigate delays, Valve is implementing new developer checklist requirements, including mandatory five-minute gameplay through Steam and confirmation of achievements and redistributables.