Valve has established a dedicated policy page outlining advertising restrictions, explicitly banning games that compel players to view in-game advertisements. Learn more about these regulations and their implications for gamers.
Valve Implements Stricter Advertising Guidelines
Developers Required to Remove Advertisements
Valve has introduced a comprehensive policy page clarifying their prohibition against games that mandate ad viewing or interaction as part of gameplay, including reward-based advertisement systems. This practice, prevalent in mobile gaming (particularly free-to-play titles promoted across social platforms), typically involves unskippable ads between levels or incentivized video ads offering gameplay advantages.
While these guidelines have been part of Steamworks' terms for approximately five years, Valve only recently created a dedicated page for clarity. This update likely responds to the platform's exponential growth - SteamDB reports 18,942 new game releases in 2024 alone.
Valve appears to be tightening enforcement of these rules. Since Steam operates without paid advertisements, the platform disallows ad-supported business models. Developers must either remove ad elements before launch or restructure their game as a "single purchase paid app."
Alternative monetization options include free-to-play models with voluntary microtransactions or DLC. For example, the mobile-to-PC port Good Pizza, Great Pizza adapted by converting former ad-based unlocks into either purchasable DLC or progression rewards.
Permitted Advertising: Product Placement and Promotions
While disruptive ads remain prohibited, Steam permits properly licensed product integrations and promotional collaborations. This includes authentic brand placements in appropriate contexts, such as sponsor decals in racing simulations like F1 Manager or real-world equipment brands in sports games.
These policies aim to maintain Steam's reputation for high-quality PC gaming experiences free from intrusive advertising. Players can trust their immersion won't be interrupted by forced ad content.
New Warning System for Stalled Early Access Titles
Steam has discreetly implemented a notification system for Early Access games without updates exceeding one year. Affected titles now display an automatic warning in their store descriptions indicating the duration since last update and noting potential discrepancies with developers' original timelines.
With the booming Early Access market, these alerts help users identify potentially abandoned projects. While negative user reviews previously served this purpose, the new visible notifications provide upfront transparency.
The gaming community has responded positively across social media and Steam forums, praising the feature as consumer-friendly. Some players suggest delisting titles inactive for over five years, though Valve hasn't indicated plans to implement such measures currently.
