Valve Introduces New Warnings for Early Access Games on Steam
Have you ever come across an Early Access game on Steam, decided it looked pretty cool and downloaded it, only to realize it was kind of busted and never getting updated again? It’s long been a topic among PC players, and Valve now has a new tool to hopefully reduce such occurrences. A warning on Steam pages for Early Access games will now tell prospective buyers how long it’s been since the game was last updated.
SteamDB Points Out Revised Warning System
As SteamDB pointed out earlier today, the revised warning appears inside the big blue Early Access box. In addition to including statements from the game’s developer about why the game is in Early Access rather than just being released upon completion and how long it will be until the game is expected to ship, a string of orange text now also indicates how many months or years it’s been since the last update went live. “The information and timeline described by the developers here may no longer be up to date,” a disclaimer reads.
Identifying Abandoned Early Access Games
Mostly, the new warning seems geared at indicating when Early Access games have been effectively abandoned. Unsung Story, the controversial Kickstarter project once posing as the spiritual successor to Final Fantasy Tactics which never got completed, has a label indicating it’s been abandoned for four years now. Prior to this update, Steam users would have had to click through to the reviews section to read other users mentioning whether a project was still in development or not.
Helping Users Navigate the Steam Library
It’s another feature designed to help Steam users navigate its massive and unwieldy library of games—19,000 new games were released on it in 2024 alone—especially as more and more games, including high-profile ones like Hyper Light Breaker and Hades 2, opt for Early Access releases. The new warning arrives just a few months after Valve also started cracking down on developers promising DLC and battle pass content that never materializes.
FAQs
Q: How does Valve’s new warning system work for Early Access games on Steam?
A: Valve’s new warning system for Early Access games on Steam includes indicating how long it has been since the game was last updated, helping users make informed decisions.
Q: What is the purpose of the warning system for Early Access games on Steam?
A: The warning system aims to prevent users from purchasing Early Access games that have been abandoned by providing information on when the game was last updated.
Q: How can users benefit from Valve’s new warning system for Early Access games on Steam?
A: Users can benefit from the warning system by avoiding purchasing Early Access games that are no longer being actively developed, saving them from investing in abandoned projects.
Credit: kotaku.com
