Valve Bans Forced In-Game Ads On Steam

Valve’s Steamworks Documentation has been updated and now its rules make it clear that it refuses to sell any game that relies on in-game advertising for its business model.

As a result, no games can require players to watch ads to be able to play, nor hide any elements of a game behind a commercial. It also bans the use of viewing ads to gain in-game advantages, rewards, or time.

For those relying on paid advertising as a business model, the company suggests switching to an up-front payment,or keeping the game ‘free’ but keeping upgrades as paid DLC.

This essentially bans many mobile games in their original forms. Mobile games are plagued by the ‘freemium’ model which forces users to sit through ads with fake countdown timers and faulty close buttons.

On PC where Steam resides, the practice is almost never seen and this puts a firm wall up against those who might try.

Valve reportedly is clear that companies can still advertise in games, such as billboards in open world environments, so long as the ad is “appropriate within the context of the game” and not “disruptive”.

Source: Kotaku, GamingOnLinux

The post Valve Bans Forced In-Game Ads On Steam appeared first on Dark Horizons.