Key Notes
- Games must record at least five minutes of Steam-launched playtime before build review, and playtime from any user can satisfy the check.
- The release checklist adds checks for dependencies, achievement configuration and Steam Cloud saves, alongside labeled screenshot categories.
- Valve says reviews are taking up to 12 business days as submissions rise, with repeat reviews accounting for much of the delay.
Valve now requires games to record at least five minutes of playtime through Steam before developers can submit a build for pre-release review. The change is intended to catch basic installation and launch problems before they reach the approval queue.
The company announced the requirement alongside broader release-checklist changes, saying a rise in submissions has pushed reviews to as long as 12 business days. Valve’s usual target is three to five business days.
Five Minutes Through Steam
The test must start with Steam’s green Play button. Valve says it sometimes receives builds that have never been played through the client, leaving problems with launch settings or missing content undetected even when the executable works on its own.
Any user’s recorded playtime counts toward the requirement. The playtime must be within the previous seven days, or since the last build if that build was uploaded more than seven days ago. The checklist can take a few minutes to update after the game closes.
Steam’s existing testing guidance explains why checking delivery matters. Developers need to ensure that their testing package includes the correct depots, the collections of files Steam distributes to users. Adding files to a build does not automatically grant a testing account access to every depot.
Cloud Saves, Achievements and Screenshots
The updated checklist also asks developers to confirm their required redistributables, flags incomplete achievement information and checks Steam Cloud configuration. Games advertising cloud saves must have a partner-group member write a save to Steam Cloud, and cloud sync must be available publicly rather than left in developer mode.
Redistributables are shared components such as DirectX or Visual C++ that some games need to run. Valve’s documentation says Steam can install selected components when necessary. Testing on a clean operating-system installation can reveal dependencies that are already present on a developer’s machine.
Store screenshots now need appropriate category labels, with at least five categorized as gameplay. Developers can also include correctly labeled menus, concept art or in-game cinematics. The labels give shoppers more context about the images they are viewing; marketing copy remains prohibited in screenshots.
Reviews Are Taking Up to 12 Business Days
Valve says repeat submissions account for much of the current delay. Feature-specific reminders now prompt teams to check promised languages and supply access information reviewers may need for multiplayer testing.
The platform’s review guidance asks for a near-final build that launches on the operating systems listed and includes the features advertised on the store page. Both the store presence and the build need approval before release. Once approved, developers can continue updating their game without repeating that initial review.
We covered how growing player expectations are making Early Access launches more consequential for developers. These checks address another part of that preparation: ensuring the version delivered through Steam works as advertised before customers buy it.
Valve says further review-process improvements are coming. For teams setting a launch date now, the stated 12-business-day backlog is the immediate scheduling concern, even after they have completed the expanded checklist.
