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 clarified its stance on in-game advertising, reinforcing its ban on games that force players to watch ads for gameplay or rewards. This policy, part of Steamworks' terms for almost five years, now has its own dedicated page.

No More Forced Ads: The updated policy explicitly prohibits games requiring ad viewing for progression or offering rewards solely for watching ads. This practice, common in free-to-play mobile games, is unacceptable on Steam.

Reason for the Clarification: The surge in Steam game releases (18,942 in 2024 alone, according to SteamDB) likely prompted Valve to strengthen its guidelines. Steam's ad-free environment necessitates the removal of ad-reliant monetization models before game acceptance. Developers must either remove ads entirely, transition to a paid model, or adopt a free-to-play model with optional microtransactions or DLC, as seen in the successful port of Good Pizza, Great Pizza.

Permitted Advertising: The policy doesn't ban all forms of advertising. Product placement and cross-promotions (with proper licensing) are allowed. Examples include sponsor logos in racing games or real-world brands in skateboarding games.

Abandoned Early Access Games Flagged: Steam now flags Early Access games untouched for over a year. Store pages for these games will display a message indicating the time since the last update and that developer information may be outdated.

This addition complements existing user reviews and aims to prevent players from investing in stalled projects. While many welcome this change, some suggest delisting games neglected for extended periods (five years or more). The community overwhelmingly supports Valve's efforts to improve user experience and maintain a high-quality game library.