Steam’s early access program has become a fascinating landscape for gamers and developers alike. It offers a unique opportunity to engage with projects from their inception, allowing players to witness the evolution of games while providing crucial support to developers whose visions may outstrip their initial funding. However, this model is not without its pitfalls. A significant concern arises when games remain in a perpetual alpha state, with developers disappearing without a trace, leaving players with unfinished products.
New Measures for Transparency
In response to these challenges, Steam has introduced a new feature aimed at enhancing transparency for potential buyers. The platform will now display a highlighted note on the store pages of early access games that have not received updates for an extended period. This notification will inform users about the duration since the last update and caution that “The information and timeline described by the developers here may no longer be up to date.” This system appears to activate after a game has been stagnant for approximately 12 months, as evidenced by its presence on titles that have not seen any activity for over a year.
For instance, the long-dormant early access game Cavern Kings prominently displays a message indicating that it has not been updated in eight years. While this initiative is commendable, it does raise questions about its implementation. The game Heartbound, which recently received a patch for its beta branch, could mislead potential players. The note on its page states that the last update was “over 13 months ago,” which might deter those unaware of its ongoing development.
It appears that Steam may need to refine its criteria for what constitutes an ‘update.’ Many users might interpret the warning differently than intended, potentially affecting their purchasing decisions. To gain further insight into this matter, I have reached out to Valve for clarification and will provide updates should I receive a response.
Correction: The most recent update for Heartbound was to its beta branch, which Steam does not currently recognize as a valid update. This piece has been amended to reflect that.
