Steam Cracks Down on Forced In-Game Ads and Abandoned Early Access Titles
Valve has clarified its stance on in-game advertising, reinforcing its longstanding policy against games that force players to watch ads. A newly dedicated policy page emphasizes this rule, prohibiting games where ads are mandatory for gameplay or offer rewards for viewing. This addresses a common practice in free-to-play mobile games.
While the policy has existed within Steamworks' terms for years, its prominent placement reflects the platform's explosive growth. With over 18,942 game releases in 2024 alone (according to SteamDB), Valve is tightening its guidelines. Steam's ad-free environment necessitates the removal of such monetization models before game submission. Developers must either remove ads entirely or transition to a paid model. Alternatively, a free-to-play model with optional microtransactions or DLC is acceptable, as exemplified by Good Pizza, Great Pizza.
The policy permits product placement and cross-promotions (with proper licensing), such as sponsor logos in racing games. This approach prioritizes a high-quality, ad-free experience for Steam users.
In another significant move, Steam now flags Early Access games neglected for over a year. Store pages for these games now include a message indicating the time since the last update and warning that developer information may be outdated. This complements existing user reviews and helps customers identify potentially abandoned projects. This addition has been met with overwhelmingly positive feedback from the Steam community, although some suggest delisting games abandoned for extended periods (five years or more).
