Independent game developers have reported unexpectedly long waits for Steam build approvals, with some saying the delays have forced them to miss planned release dates. Several developers have discussed the issue on social media in recent weeks.
Studio Daimon had planned to launch its game Food Devils in early access on November 3, after submitting the build on October 12. But the game was still awaiting approval, game director Alfred Kamon said. He said the studio had contacted Steam to flag the risk of missing its launch date, but had not received a response or an indication of when the review would be complete.
Publisher 2 Left Thumbs said in October that it released Wheel Make It nearly two weeks later than planned because of the time taken to review its build. The publisher also described a review issue involving a menu option that could not be accessed with a controller.
Valve’s Steamworks developer website says a review of a game’s store presence typically takes three to five business days. It recommends submitting a page at least seven business days before its intended release to allow time for any changes. Developers have recently speculated that a crowded review queue is contributing to longer waits, though Valve did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The reports come amid a rise in the number of games appearing on platforms. October’s Steam Next Fest featured 7,240 games, 65.2 percent more than the June event, according to How to Market a Game. Itch.io also said that the number of game pages created daily had doubled over the previous two months, and later said it had removed several terabytes of AI-generated low-quality content.
Sources: The Verge.