No more refunds after 100 hours: Steam closes Early Access playtime loophole
Early Access has evolved from a unique concept to a common practice, benefitting games like Baldur's Gate 3.
Valve has updated its refund policy on Steam, now counting playtime during Advanced Access towards the refund period, preventing abuses.
Steam refunds pose challenges for developers, especially smaller ones, as players can refund games within two hours, affecting game experiences and revenue. [ more ]
Steam Sees Numbers Go Up, Breaking User Record Again
Steam saw over 36.3 million concurrent users, breaking its own record multiple times in 2024.
Counter-Strike 2 has the most concurrent players at 1.3 million, while Palworld achieved over 2 million, being the second game to do so on Steam. [ more ]
Palworld Just Passed 2 Million Concurrent Players On Steam, Only Second Game To Ever To Do So
Palworld has reached over 2 million concurrent players on Steam, surpassing Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and becoming the second most concurrent players on Steam of all time.
Palworld has sold over 7 million copies on Steam alone and has surpassed Fortnite on Xbox in terms of active users. [ more ]
Steam tells developers to disclose AI-made content in games
Developers must disclose all AI-generated art, code, or music used in their games for Steam to review before their titles can be publicly released via the software souk.
Steam is asking players to report any illegal AI-generated material they spot, to keep developers on their toes. [ more ]
Valve now allows the "vast majority" of AI-powered games on Steam
Valve has announced new developer policies that allow games that use AI tools to be released on Steam, as long as the usage is disclosed.
AI integration in games will be categorized as pre-generated content or live-generated content, and this information will be shared on the game's store pages on Steam. [ more ]
Manor Lords, Developed By One Person, Is Putting Up Huge Numbers On Launch Day
Manor Lords, a single-person developed medieval strategy game, garners significant success on Steam with high concurrent user numbers and strong player sentiment. [ more ]
Steam Advanced Access Cracks Down On a Refund Loophole That Players Were Exploiting
Steam updated refund policy, now counting playtime in Early Access towards refund eligibility, closing loophole allowing refunds after significant playtime. [ more ]
The Best Games And Biggest Deals To Grab In Steam's Massive FPS Fest
FPS Fest on Steam offers discounts on various first-person shooter games until April 22. Check Game Pass before purchasing for potential free access. [ more ]
Sky: Children of the Light debut on Steam with 85% off cost, now $2.24 until April 17.
Journey, a previous game by thatgamecompany, is praised for its stunning visuals, emotional storytelling, and impactful multiplayer experience. [ more ]
Free Stardew-Like Palia Launches On Steam Alongside Its Roadmap Reveal
Palia, a cozy MMO combining elements of Stardew Valley and Zelda, now on Steam with new content and customization options.
Singularity 6 released a 2024 roadmap for Palia, including building blocks, pathways, new housing blueprints, and more for players to anticipate. [ more ]
Dragon's Dogma 2 launch isn't going well due to microtransactions and performance woes
Dragon's Dogma 2 received mixed reception on Steam due to performance issues and unexpected microtransactions.
Players criticized the high CPU load due to NPCs and the introduction of microtransactions, especially the Art of Metamorphosis for character appearance modifications. [ more ]
ASTLIBRA Revision Gaiden' Interview: Developer KEIZO on the Game's History, the Cave of Phantom Mist' Mechanics, a Switch Physical Release, Steam Deck, and More
ASTLIBRA Revision Gaiden: The Cave of Phantom Mist is an expansion for ASTLIBRA Revision, set to be released on Steam.
The developer, KEIZO, initially created the game for personal enjoyment and released it for free, but later partnered with WhisperGames for development funding. [ more ]
Which Is the Best Version of the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster Games in 2024? We Compare iOS, Switch, Steam, and PS5
Square Enix has released major updates for the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series on mobile and Steam, bringing features from last year's console releases.
The updates have improved the gameplay experience on iOS, Android, and Steam, making the games more accessible with quality of life improvements and new arranged music. [ more ]
Palworld, a new game that allows players to collect and put cute creatures to work, has become a hit with over 1.5 million concurrent players on Steam.
A YouTuber has created a mod that adds actual Pokémon to Palworld, allowing players to capture and work with beloved creatures like Pikachu and Torchic. [ more ]
Starfield's Biggest Update Ever Is Out Now, But Only On Steam
The Starfield 1.9.47.0 patch, which includes over 100 bug fixes and quality-of-life tweaks, is now live on Steam for players who have opted in to the Steam Beta program.
Players on console or PC via Game Pass will have to wait about two weeks for the update to officially launch on their platforms. [ more ]