Steam Cracks Down on Misleading DLCs and Season Passes: New Rules for Developers
Steam, the world’s largest PC gaming platform, has long been a pioneer in the gaming world, but it’s recently been taking steps to improve the user experience in new ways. Following changes to age ratings and clearer guidelines around game ownership, Steam is now focusing on a major issue that affects many players: misleading DLCs and Season Passes.
The updated rules aim to tackle how developers advertise upcoming content, ensuring that players get exactly what they pay for. With DLCs and Season Passes often costing players additional money, Steam wants to make sure that developers deliver on their promises—or face serious consequences.
The New Guidelines: What Developers Must Do
For the first time, Steam has laid out specific requirements for any game offering downloadable content (DLC) or a Season Pass:
- A complete list of all the DLCs included in the Season Pass must be provided.
- A basic description of the content included in each DLC.
- An expected release date for each DLC, listed as either a year, a quarter, or a specific date.
- Developers must ensure that at least one piece of additional content is available when a Season Pass is released.
These new requirements are designed to give consumers more clarity on what they are purchasing and reduce the risk of disappointment caused by vague promises.
What Happens if Developers Fail to Comply?
Steam’s new guidelines offer more certainty for gamers, ensuring they aren’t left in the dark about what they’re paying for. However, non-compliance can result in severe consequences for developers:
- One grace period: Developers can delay the release of a DLC by up to three months, but only once. If delays continue, Steam has the right to step in.
- Steam’s actions: If the DLC is delayed more than three months beyond the promised release window, Valve may:
- Remove the Season Pass from sale on Steam.
- Refund all customers who bought the Season Pass for the value of unreleased DLC.
- Offer refunds for the entire Season Pass if no content has been released after a year.
Furthermore, if a developer cancels or fails to release a DLC as part of a Season Pass, Steam will offer refunds to customers for the value of that specific DLC. This gives players more control and transparency when it comes to purchases.
Steam’s Right to Refuse DLCs from Unreliable Developers
In addition to the above, Steam has also made it clear that it will be more selective about who can offer DLC content. Developers that don’t adhere to the new guidelines could find themselves shut out from monetizing their content on the platform. Trusted partners will continue to be able to offer DLCs, but smaller or newer developers who fail to meet these standards may find their ability to release content severely restricted.
These new rules represent a major step forward for consumer protection on Steam. Players can now shop with more confidence, knowing that their purchases will be honored, and developers will be held accountable if they fail to meet expectations.
