Steam Doubles Down On Banning Games With Forced In-Game Advertisements

Steam Cracks Down on Forced In-Game Ads and Abandoned Early Access Titles

Valve has solidified its stance against intrusive in-game advertising, clarifying its existing policy with a dedicated webpage. This policy, integrated into Steamworks' terms for years, prohibits games from forcing players to watch ads for gameplay or reward progression.

The Crackdown on Forced Ads

The updated policy explicitly bans games requiring ad engagement for progression or offering rewards solely for watching ads. This practice, prevalent in many free-to-play mobile games, is incompatible with the Steam platform.

This renewed focus on the policy might be attributed to the platform's explosive growth. SteamDB reports a significant increase in game releases, particularly in 2024, with over 18,942 new titles launched. This surge likely prompted Valve to reinforce its advertising guidelines. Steam remains ad-free, rejecting ad-based monetization models. Games utilizing such models must remove ads or transition to a paid model. Alternatively, a free-to-play model with optional microtransactions or DLC is acceptable. Good Pizza, Great Pizza serves as an example of successful adaptation.

Acceptable Advertising Practices

While disruptive ads are prohibited, product placement and cross-promotions (like bundles and sales) are permitted, provided necessary licensing is in place. Examples include real-world sponsor logos in racing games or branded items in skateboarding games.

This policy prioritizes high-quality PC gaming experiences free from intrusive ads, ensuring player immersion isn't compromised.

Abandoned Early Access Games Flagged

Steam has introduced a new feature to alert users about Early Access games stagnant 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a message on their store pages indicating the time since their last update and that developer information may be outdated.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 negative reviews, providing a clear warning about potentially abandoned projects. The community largely welcomes this addition, with some suggesting that games neglected for extended periods (five years or more) should be removed entirely.