Indie developer says Steam did them a solid by fixing their unbootable game to beat the Next Fest deadline
July 10, 2026
Challenges and Triumphs in Game Development
Creating a game is often described as a formidable challenge, a sentiment echoed by many who have ventured into this complex realm. Mistakes are an inherent part of the process, and sometimes, despite best efforts, a game may not function as intended. Such was the case for the developers of Red Flag, a social deduction game that invites players to persuade their friends of their survival skills in a resource-limited apocalyptic bunker.
In a recent Reddit post, which caught the attention of Automaton, the small, first-time development team recounted their experience of submitting a flawed build of the game to Steam, just as the deadline approached for inclusion in June’s Next Fest. The typical review and approval timeline spans five to seven days, making their last-minute submission a risky endeavor.
Fortunately, Steam Support stepped in to assist. The team shared, “Steam Support actually edited our configuration, sorted the dependencies, and approved the build so we wouldn’t miss the fest. We’ve now passed our first day of Next Fest, wishlists nearly doubled, and we’re actually meeting players in our own lobby. All because Steam Support went way above and beyond.”
This experience appears to resonate with many indie developers, as several shared similar stories in the comments section. One user remarked, “They did this for me on my first upload, too. Thought it was very cool.” It seems that addressing such last-minute issues is a relatively straightforward task for Valve, yet it can significantly alleviate the stress for developers navigating the uncertainties of game launches.
Indie developer says Steam did them a solid by fixing their unbootable game to beat the Next Fest deadline
Challenges and Triumphs in Game Development
Creating a game is often described as a formidable challenge, a sentiment echoed by many who have ventured into this complex realm. Mistakes are an inherent part of the process, and sometimes, despite best efforts, a game may not function as intended. Such was the case for the developers of Red Flag, a social deduction game that invites players to persuade their friends of their survival skills in a resource-limited apocalyptic bunker.
In a recent Reddit post, which caught the attention of Automaton, the small, first-time development team recounted their experience of submitting a flawed build of the game to Steam, just as the deadline approached for inclusion in June’s Next Fest. The typical review and approval timeline spans five to seven days, making their last-minute submission a risky endeavor.
Fortunately, Steam Support stepped in to assist. The team shared, “Steam Support actually edited our configuration, sorted the dependencies, and approved the build so we wouldn’t miss the fest. We’ve now passed our first day of Next Fest, wishlists nearly doubled, and we’re actually meeting players in our own lobby. All because Steam Support went way above and beyond.”
This experience appears to resonate with many indie developers, as several shared similar stories in the comments section. One user remarked, “They did this for me on my first upload, too. Thought it was very cool.” It seems that addressing such last-minute issues is a relatively straightforward task for Valve, yet it can significantly alleviate the stress for developers navigating the uncertainties of game launches.