Valve is updating its game release rules to try to unclog a backlog of approvals due to a recent flood of new game titles, many created with artificial intelligence, the company announced. That follows news that indie games are missing launch dates, sometimes by weeks, due to the unexpected delays.
New Pre-Release Requirements
Valve’s goal for new title reviews is three to five days, but it is currently taking up to 12 business days. The company instituted the new rules in part to avoid any re-reviews responsible for those longer times. Valve wrote in a community post that they heard from many developers and understand how stressful it is to wait longer than expected for review build updates, adding that more improvements are coming to the process while these initial changes serve as a great starting point.
Developers must run their games through Steam for at least five minutes to ensure the software works on the platform. Valve stated that it reviews builds that have never been played through Steam, explaining that developers might miss basic steps impacting installation and gameplay even if a game runs smoothly when launched directly.
Valve is also requiring developers to confirm common redistributables such as DirectX and Visual C++, check that achievements are ready, confirm that Steam Cloud save paths are configured correctly, and categorize screenshots as gameplay, menus, concept art, or cinematics.
The Impact of AI and Developer Delays
Valve did not mention that the store has been flooded by artificial intelligence-generated games with inadequate pre-release checks. Developer 2 Left Thumbs stated on X that the time seems to have spiked around September and October, presumably due in part to the overwhelming amount of slop now flooding Steam. That data was confirmed by Reddit user u/ploz, who found that 49.9 percent of games released on Steam in October disclosed artificial intelligence-generated content. In June, nearly 20 percent of Next Fest game demos disclosed the use of artificial intelligence.
The delays are having consequences for creators. Cubic Earth developer structmira told PC Gamer that their game’s trailer amassed more than 60,000 views on YouTube and gained more than 6,000 wishlists, but now their Steam Community page is rapidly filling with player complaints and they have lost all momentum.
