Key Takeaways
- Valve says Steam game build reviews are taking up to 12 business days, compared with the usual three to five days.
- The company attributes much of the delay to repeated reviews and an increase in submissions.
- New checklist requirements ask developers to test their games through Steam before requesting approval.
- Independent developers have reported missed launch dates while waiting for Steam build reviews.
Steam developers are having to wait longer than usual for Valve to approve their games, with some reviews now taking up to 12 business days. The company says the process normally takes three to five days, but a rise in submissions and repeated checks of games that fail basic requirements have added to the waiting time.
Valve has updated its developer checklist in response, asking studios to test their builds more thoroughly before sending them for review. The longer waits have also become a problem for developers working towards fixed release dates, with some reporting that their games missed planned launches while waiting for approval.
Valve Extends Steam Game Review Times To 12 Business Days And Adds New Submission Requirements
In a recent Steamworks announcement, Valve said it had seen a significant increase in submissions for store page and game build reviews over recent months. The company said it had spent several weeks working to expand its review process but acknowledged that it was still taking longer than expected to process submissions. Valve’s usual target is to test game builds within three to five days.
However, the company confirmed that reviews are currently taking up to 12 business days. It attributed much of the delay to having to review games more than once, particularly when submitted builds contain basic functional problems that developers need to fix before approval.
The company has introduced additional items to its developer release checklist in an effort to reduce the number of submissions that require another review. One of the main changes requires developers to launch their games through Steam and play for at least five minutes before submitting a build.
Valve says some developers have previously submitted builds that were never launched through the Steam client. Running a game’s executable separately may not reveal problems with launch options or content depots that could affect someone installing the game through Steam. The new requirement asks developers to record at least five minutes of playtime within the previous seven days, or since the latest build was uploaded if that happened more recently.
Valve has also changed its screenshot requirements. Store pages can now include screenshots of menus, concept art and in-game cinematics, provided they are placed in the correct categories. However, developers must still provide at least five screenshots categorized as gameplay. The updated checklist also asks developers to confirm that all features advertised on their store pages are available in the submitted build. Games with multiplayer features must have their servers ready for testing, while developers must provide any necessary instructions or account credentials for the review team.
Indie Developers Report Missed Steam Launch Dates While Waiting For Approval
A delay in build approval can affect marketing campaigns, announcements and arrangements with content creators, particularly for smaller studios that have limited room to change their schedules. Independent developers have also raised concerns about the expectations placed on them when releasing games through Early Access, particularly as players compare smaller projects with more polished releases from larger AAA studios.
One developer shared their experience on Reddit’s, explaining that their MMO was supposed to launch on October 15. The developer said the build had originally been submitted on September 27, but feedback from Steam did not arrive until October 7, eight business days later. After addressing a minor issue raised during the review, the developer was still waiting for approval on the planned launch date.
Other studios have described similar experiences. Publisher 2 Left Thumbs said its game Wheel Make It was delayed by nearly two weeks while waiting for Steam’s approval. The studio also explained that one of the review issues involved a menu option that could not be accessed using a controller.
