Valve Tightens Steam Review Checklist as Build Reviews Slip to 12 Days
Valve updated its pre-release review process for Steam developers on November 4, adding checklist items and confirming that build reviews now take up to 12 business days against a normal target of 3 to 5.
1 source 2h ago
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Why it matters
Valve is trading developer setup work for reviewer throughput, since re-reviews caused by untested Steam builds are what pushed the queue to 12 business days.
Key Facts
- Valve announced the Steam review process update on November 4.
- Build reviews now take up to 12 business days, against a normal target of 3 to 5 days.
- Developers must run a game via Steam for at least five minutes within seven days before applying.
- The checklist requires five screenshots classified as gameplay and confirmation of common redistributable components.
- Japanese Ramen Simulator was postponed from September 28 to October 9 after a re-review.
Games must be launched through Steam for at least five minutes within seven days of application. Valve points to re-reviews as the cause of delays.
Five minutes of play through Steam is now the floor. Valve requires that a build has been run via Steam by some user within the seven days before a developer applies, a rule that surfaced among developers before the announcement. The checklist also asks for specified common redistributables such as DirectX, Visual C++, .NET, and XNA, or a note that none are needed.
Achievements readiness and Steam Cloud save confirmation join the list, along with five screenshots classified as gameplay. Reviewers also get a reminder that checks store page claims like multiplayer and supported languages against the build. Valve cites re-reviews, not volume, as the reason builds are running to 12 business days.
Written with AI by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited. See our editorial policy.
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