Valve Now Bans Steam Games That Force Players to Watch Ads

[AleksandarK]

Valve has updated its Steam platform policies to prevent mobile-style advertising practices from infiltrating the PC gaming market. The new guidelines, recently added to the Steam Terms of Service, explicitly ban any game that requires players to watch or interact with advertisements to progress. Under the revised rules, developers must eliminate any ad systems that force players to engage with promotional content as a prerequisite for gameplay. Games that rely on mandatory ads for rewards or advancement will not be permitted on Steam. While cross-promotional partnerships and product placements remain acceptable, the forced ad model is no longer supported. Mobile games often burden players with unwanted commercial interruptions. Developers are now encouraged to pursue alternative monetization strategies, such as single-purchase models, optional microtransactions, or downloadable content packages.

"If your game's revenue relies on advertising on other platforms, you will need to find a new monetization model in order to release on Steam."—states Valve pricing guide. In addition to banning forced advertisements, Valve has introduced a new feature for early-access titles. This functionality displays the time elapsed since the last update, offering players greater transparency regarding game development progress. By drawing a clear line against aggressive in-game advertising, Valve is fighting smartphone-style ads that force players into watching unwanted content. Valve's commitment to ecosystem quality ensures that Steam remains a trusted platform for gamers seeking pure gaming and ad-free experiences. Other platforms are likely to follow suit.



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[Shihab]

Yes! Filthy smartphone devs should remain in their crappy platforms. PCMR!

Seriously tho, it's an interesting decision. I suppose they do still have interest in the quality of what goes on their platform.

 

[Dimitriman]

Thank you, Gaben!

 

[Daven]

Valve continues to follow the old adage 'provide the best customer experience'. It's sad that this obvious philosophy is followed by so few companies today.

 

[TheinsanegamerN]

And people wonder why valve has a near monopoly.

This, right here. A decision that costs valve money in the short term, and benefits the end user. In the long term valve will make even more money and develop a larger userbase thanks to this attitude.

 

[JohH]

I'm personally in favor of this.
But it is removing "choice". Some people are OK watching ads even if I'm not.

 

[Daven]

I'm personally in favor of this.
But it is removing "choice". Some people are OK watching ads even if I'm not.

If the word ‘mandatory’ is anywhere around then choice is removed.

 

[A Computer Guy]

Does this also mean the monster energy bits in Death Stranding will need to be removed from the game on Steam? What if Game devs get creative and integrate the product into the game like collect the 12 Pepsi cans to progress to the next level? Or explosion's look suspiciously like Cheetos?

 

[Octopuss]

Wait, what ads in games? That shit exists? For real?????????

 

[Kinestron]

Yes! Thank you, Valve.

 

[RayneYoruka]

Good.

 

[lilhasselhoffer]

It's funny to see people react to this, and think that it's Valve being kind and benevolent.

Let me propose a situation. Valve allows these games to exist...and all of the sudden one of them links to some nasty malware. Technically they aren't responsible, but it is on their platform. Half a dozen situations happen, then hundreds. Valve does its level best to protect the coders...and in the action becomes embroiled with a lawsuit for breach of data and so many other things. That's...not ideal. You ban that forced advertisement thing, and all of a sudden you've made the stance that looks like you're for people, but in fact are protecting yourself against an easy vector for data breaches.


Regarding the whole loss of money thing...what? Developers who do this generally release a game for free. They get paid through the advertisements and engagement...so what exactly is 30% of nothing? Ahh....Steam's cut is nothing. It's functionally cutting off a legal liability with almost no financial up-side for Valve as a whole. Cool. I decided to amputate that huge ugly tumorous growth, and I'm suddenly both healthier and lighter. Why did I allow that tumor in the first place? Oh yeah, because the old TOS allowed for arbitrations, where individuals getting data breached would basically be incapable of proving gross negligence through having multiple people support their claims...but now there can be class actions it's very much dangerous to keep this business model humming.

Sorry...I just can't be happy seeing Valve basically demonstrate that they are no longer concerned about making games...because Steam is functionally a money printer, where the barest human decency and self-protection makes you a beloved functional monopoly. It's sad to say, but I'll take the Valve monopoly over the EA/Ubisoft/etc... monopoly. At least Valve knows how their bread is buttered.

 

[wolar]

Its amazing this is coming from valve, AGAIN, and not from a regulation..

 

[Denver]

Alright, now ban the studios who release games in beta state at full price.

 

[PixelTech]

 

[kapone32]

Finally a win for the Gamer,

 

[Macro Device]

Does this also mean the monster energy bits in Death Stranding will need to be removed from the game on Steam? What if Game devs get creative and integrate the product into the game like collect the 12 Pepsi cans to progress to the next level? Or explosion's look suspiciously like Cheetos?

Product placement isn't probably going to be affected in any way or shape, it's just so incredibly hard to make it look not silly in video games that most devs abandoned this idea altogether.

 

[Denver]

I've been thinking about this for a while now—ads and videos popping up on your screen can be a real pain. But what if there was a way to make them less intrusive? For example, take a game like GTA VI: a vast world full of signs, walls, and even car radios. Big brands could use these in-game spaces for advertising, and who knows, Rockstar could use this extra form of monetization to help offset the final price of the game for consumers. Would anyone be against this?

 

[NoneRain]

Thanks.

 

[Assimilator]

It's funny to see people react to this, and think that it's Valve being kind and benevolent.

Of course it's not, it's Valve being smart and protecting their brand by pursuing long-term gains over short-term ones. Which pretty much every other company has apparently forgotten how to do.

I'd also remind you that the reason doesn't matter particularly much, if the outcome is generally positive.

Rockstar could use this extra form of monetization to help offset the final price of the game for consumers

HAHAHAHAHA you're a funny guy.

 

[Vayra86]

I'm personally in favor of this.
But it is removing "choice". Some people are OK watching ads even if I'm not.

No they ain't removing choice, there's a whole gutter called the internet where you can wade through mountains of shite

A digital distributor cannot remove choice on its own, when there are multiple other distributors and ways to get content, AND a thousand different variations on the same content available. There's really an overabundance of choice, and Steam is doing the right thing filtering for us. If we disagree with what they filter... we can voice a concern.

Curation is going to be huge going forward, especially with AI content flooding everything.

I've been thinking about this for a while now—ads and videos popping up on your screen can be a real pain. But what if there was a way to make them less intrusive? For example, take a game like GTA VI: a vast world full of signs, walls, and even car radios. Big brands could use these in-game spaces for advertising, and who knows, Rockstar could use this extra form of monetization to help offset the final price of the game for consumers. Would anyone be against this?

Yes, I'd prefer Rockstar keep making parodies on that twisted overcommercialized existence we call normal today.

Games are an escape and the world you play in is part of that escape. I play them precisely to NOT have to watch ads all day, because they're already everywhere you look.

Then again if Rockstar allows us to buy and install an adblocker in-game, that would turn this whole affair into a gameplay element I would appreciate a lot That's Rockstar parody level shit and perhaps a way to have a win-win situation

 

[Macro Device]

because they're already everywhere you look.

Even people around you are walking ads. Their iPhones, Adidas shoes, Calzedonia pantyhose, Armani shirts, Hugo Boss hats, Dr. Pepper drinks and whatnot. Sometimes you can't even hit the loo without staring at toilet paper maker's logos and that branded air freshener.

We have more than enough ads as it is. There will be no good if game devs begin adding sponsored content to their games. Unless it's a really poor indie studio and they want to make something bigger than they otherwise would've made but that's likely to end up being cringe rather than box office success.

 

[Veseleil]

Thanks Gabe Newell, stay healthy and live long.

This, right here.

Indeed, and much more my man. You know, we know, they know it. User reviews, refunds, workshop, MP online connectivity, community as a whole (mixed bag or not)...
It's easy finding a reason to hate a large company, but let's be honest, which platform offer stuff that I just said?
Sometimes I spend hours reading just reviews of the games I'm interested in. You need points? Write a decent review, be sincere and you're rich all of a sudden. Community is important, lack of community effort leads to ignorance and the worst kind of interests prevail.

 

[Vayra86]

Thanks Gabe Newell, stay healthy and live long.

Indeed, and much more my man. You know, we know, they know it. User reviews, refunds, workshop, community as a whole (mixed bag or not)...
It's easy finding a reason to hate a large company, but let's be honest, which platform offer stuff that I just said?
Sometimes I spend hours reading just reviews of the games I'm interested in. You need points? Write a decent review, be sincere and you're rich all of a sudden. Community is important, lack of community effort leads to ignorance and the worst kind of interests prevail.

Valve understands the power of the collective.
Countries should take note. This is how you connect with your userbase in a democracy and get them productive

 

[cerulliber]

means they will ban all games with 1min unskipable starting screen full of logos? /s