Valve has announced a significant update to its guidelines for developers regarding the content of their game’s store page descriptions. Set to take effect in early September, these new rules aim to streamline the user experience by reducing the clutter that has recently characterized many store pages.
Prohibition of External Links
One of the primary changes prohibits developers from including links to other websites or Steam game listings within most sections of their store page descriptions. This decision comes in response to a growing trend where store pages have become more like advertisements for other titles, often leaving potential players sifting through a maze of links and promotional banners instead of focusing on the game at hand.
In a recent blog post on Steamworks, Valve expressed concern over this trend, noting, “We’ve been seeing more and more store pages that are effectively advertisements for OTHER store pages on Steam.” To address this issue, Valve encourages developers to utilize existing features such as bundles, franchises, or developer homepages for promoting related products, thereby keeping the focus on the game being viewed.
Alignment with Demo Presentation Guidelines
Additionally, these new guidelines align with previous updates made in July concerning the presentation of demos on the platform. The rise of “prologue games,” where developers release separate listings for demos to enhance visibility, has prompted further clarification. The July changes allowed developers to create dedicated store pages for demos without incurring extra listing fees, ensuring that players can easily identify when they are viewing a demo rather than a full game.
Valve reassured developers that the new rules are not intended to stifle creativity. “We’re not banning your ability to name a product as ‘Prologue’,” they stated. However, the company suggests that utilizing demos has become a more effective strategy for building an audience and guiding players toward the complete game experience.
Automatic Detection System
To ease the transition, Valve will implement an automatic detection system with the upcoming Steam update, which will identify and hide any non-compliant links in the relevant sections of store pages. This proactive approach ensures that developers can focus on creating engaging content without the fear of penalties for oversight.