Steam Cracks Down on Forced In-Game Ads and Abandoned Early Access Titles
Valve has clarified its stance on in-game advertising, reinforcing its existing 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 move targets a common practice in free-to-play mobile games, often featuring unskippable ads between levels or as a means to obtain in-game resources.
While this policy has been part of Steamworks' terms for five years, the dedicated page reflects Steam's response to the platform's rapid growth. With over 18,942 games released in 2024 alone (according to SteamDB), stricter enforcement is arguably necessary. Steam's ad-free environment dictates that games utilizing such monetization models must remove these elements before release or transition to a paid model.
Alternative monetization strategies, such as free-to-play with optional microtransactions or DLC, are acceptable. Good Pizza, Great Pizza serves as an example of a successful mobile-to-Steam port that adopted this approach.
It's important to note that the policy does not prohibit all forms of advertising. Product placement and cross-promotions (with proper licensing) are permitted. This includes sponsorships in racing games or brand appearances in skateboarding titles. The goal is to maintain a high-quality, immersive experience free from disruptive ads.
Early Access Warning System Implemented
Steam has also introduced a warning for Early Access games neglected for over a year. These titles now display a message on their store pages indicating the time since their last update and that developer information may be outdated. This complements existing user reviews and aims to provide greater transparency for consumers navigating the numerous Early Access releases on the platform.
The community's response has been largely positive, with many praising the improved transparency and suggesting that severely outdated games (e.g., those unupdated for five years) should be removed entirely.
