Steam Introduces Strict New Rules for Season Passes

Steam, the leading PC gaming platform, has just rolled out new guidelines for season passes that will change how game developers sell additional content to players. These changes aim to make buying season passes safer and more transparent for gamers while setting clear expectations for developers.

What’s Changing?

For those unfamiliar, a season pass is like a pre-purchase ticket for future game content, such as new skins, weapons, or story expansions (DLC). Unlike a battle pass, which unlocks content through gameplay achievements, season passes deliver content on a predetermined schedule. While this sounds straightforward, some developers haven’t always been clear about what players would actually get for their money.

Hence, Steam’s updated guidelines require developers to be crystal clear about their offerings. Every season pass must now:

• Provide a detailed list of everything included in the season pass
• Give clear descriptions of each piece of content
• Share a specific release window for when players will receive the content (whether by quarter, month, or exact date)
• Have at least one piece of DLC ready at launch (except for pre-purchase deals)

Protecting Players’ Investments

If a developer needs to delay their DLC, they can only push it back once, and no more than three months. This prevents the all-too-common practice of indefinite delays that leave players waiting endlessly for content they’ve already paid for.

What happens if a developer cancels promised content? Steam has that covered too. Players will receive automatic refunds for any canceled DLC, calculated based on what that content would have cost if sold separately. This ensures gamers won’t lose money on promises that aren’t kept.

This might sound harsh for developers, but according to Steam’s reasoning: “If you aren’t ready to clearly communicate about the content included in each DLC AND when each DLC will be ready for launch, you shouldn’t offer a Season Pass on Steam.”

More Limitations on Developers

In an interesting twist, Steam is now limiting who can even offer season passes in the first place. Only developers with a “well-established relationship” and “proven track record” on Steam will be allowed to sell them.

While some smaller developers might find these rules challenging, they ultimately serve to create a more trustworthy marketplace. This could lead to better quality DLC offerings across the platform, as developers will need to plan their additional content more carefully before putting it up for sale.