Valve has changed its rules for presenting games on its Steam online shop. It is now forbidden to display images highlighting achievements or notes. This is a way to make the store more visible and to prevent abuse.
It’s not uncommon to see Steam store visuals that boast about the games’ visuals. Many times, we have endorsements from specialized sites right next to the title. This practice will be prohibited starting 1 September.
Valve actually updated its policy. It is now necessary to present a game with a clear view and the title. Subtitles and new content are permitted, but not more.
Valve modifies the rules of presenting games
Small developers who emphasize the right points to stand out could be penalized by this new policy. Valve states that the data will remain on the platform and will be visible on the game page. Valve’s official website states that they have noticed that the graphics resources created by its development teams include more text, assigning logos, and rating scores.
Some logos for games have become too small to be easily identified. Other times, graphics assets images are covered in award-winning ratings and logos that make it difficult to read.
Add the language argument. This is perfectly legal: “We also found that these texts added in the images are in most instances in English which excludes large portions of the Steam customer who don’t speak this language.” However, this change should make a difference in the lives of some developers, who depend on the quality and appeal of their titles to entice. We will need to find new ways to stand out from the steam full of golden nuggets.
