Valve, the well-known name in the PC gaming world, has made some significant changes to how season passes can be sold on Steam.
According to the fresh guidance on Steamworks, game developers and publishers now need to set a firm release date if they’re planning to market upcoming content, like season passes, on their game’s store page. Valve emphasizes that without a clear timeline for when this content will be available, companies shouldn’t sell or even allow pre-orders for it.
While developers and publishers can opt to provide a general release window—such as specifying a particular quarter, year, or season—they must also be prepared to offer a detailed date for any forthcoming content.
“By offering a Season Pass, you are promising future content,” Valve highlighted in their statement.
They went on to say, “As you’re launching a Season Pass, you’ll be required to commit to a launch schedule for each piece of content included. This schedule is a commitment to both your customers and to Steam.”
Valve was clear in their message: if developers can’t communicate precisely what’s in each piece of downloadable content (DLC) and when it will be launched, then they’re encouraged not to sell a Season Pass on Steam. This change underscores Valve’s dedication to transparency and reliability in the gaming community.
