Key Takeaways
- Valve says a significant number of employees are considering ways to improve Steam’s game-discovery system.
- The company does not want to restrict developers based on their choice of development tools, including AI.
- Steam Next Fest uses near-random exposure during its first two days before personalized recommendations take over.
- Valve has not announced a confirmed fix or release date for changes to its discovery systems.
Valve says a significant number of employees are working on Steam’s game-discovery problems as developers raise concerns about the growing number of releases competing for players’ attention. The company also says it does not want to restrict developers based on whether they use artificial intelligence tools to make their games.
The comments came from a Q&A session at the Steam Indie Connect event in South Korea on October 27, where Valve representatives Tom Giardino and Marc Wilkinson discussed storefront visibility, AI-generated games and the challenges facing independent studios. Their remarks follow complaints about the number of low-quality demos appearing during Steam Next Fest, along with concerns that developers could see their ideas copied before release. Valve acknowledged that its current approach has drawbacks, but did not announce a specific change or timeline for improving game discovery.
Valve Acknowledges Steam’s Game Discovery Challenges
Steam’s growing catalogue has made it harder for developers to get their games noticed, particularly studios without the marketing budgets or existing audiences of larger publishers. The issue has also been raised by John “Bucky” Buckley, publishing lead at Palworld developer Pocketpair, who recently discussed why Steam Next Fest is becoming harder for indie developers as more games compete for players’ attention.
During the Steam Indie Connect Q&A, reported by Inven Global, Valve representatives discussed how the platform handles visibility and complaints surrounding its discovery systems. Marc Wilkinson explained that Steam Next Fest initially shows games to players on a virtually random basis for its first two days. Personalized recommendations become more prominent afterward, helping users find titles that better match their interests.
According to Wilkinson, this opening period is intended to limit attempts to manipulate the system and give participating games an opportunity to reach players. However, Valve acknowledged that this approach also allows some low-quality games to receive exposure. Wilkinson said the company was aware of the trade-off and that a significant number of people were considering ways to address the problem. The discussion did not produce a specific announcement about how the system might change.
In a Reddit discussion, users discussed the number of demos available during the October 2026 edition of Next Fest, including concerns about AI-generated artwork appearing in store listings.
Valve has previously introduced features intended to help players find games that suit their interests. Its Steam store and discovery features offer personalized recommendations, while the company continues to adjust how games are presented to different users. Whether further changes will make a meaningful difference for smaller studios remains to be seen.
Valve Does Not Want To Restrict Developers Over AI Use
Alongside its comments on visibility, Valve addressed whether it should limit games based on the tools used to create them. Tom Giardino said the company did not want to act as a gatekeeper deciding which development tools developers should or should not use. That position leaves the choice of using AI with individual creators rather than making it a reason to exclude a game from the platform. AI tools can make it easier to produce assets and prototypes, but their use alone does not establish whether a game is original, low quality or infringing on another creator’s work.
Giardino’s advice was for developers to build games with distinctive features, personality and ongoing development rather than relying on a single mechanic that others could copy. Valve also pointed to community building and consistent updates as ways developers can distinguish their projects from imitations.
That approach places much of the responsibility on studios to establish an identity for their games, although it does not resolve every concern about copying or visibility. Smaller developers may have fewer resources to maintain regular updates, market their work or respond when similar titles appear. The debate over AI filters has also appeared in player discussions saying whether Steam should introduce an optional filter for games made with AI.
Valve’s position does not mean every AI-related concern has been settled. Steam has a content disclosure process for developers who use generative AI, with requirements depending on how the technology is used. The company’s comments indicate that it prefers to address discoverability through store improvements rather than restricting access based on the tools developers choose.
