Valve has introduced a new feature for gamers exploring Steam Early Access titles, aimed at providing clarity on game updates. Now, you’ll be notified if a game hasn’t received any updates in the past 12 months.
This change was initially highlighted by SteamDB, revealing a warning message that pops up at the top of the Early Access developer Q&A section. This alert informs potential players of the last time a game received an update. Valve didn’t stop there—they’ve also updated their Steamworks information to reflect these changes.
According to Valve, “If it has been more than 12 months since the developers updated the game and shared an ‘update’ type event, Steam will place a note on the store page. This is positioned just above the Developer Questionnaire, notifying players if the game hasn’t been updated for some time.”
The warning will appear if either of the following conditions holds true:
– More than 12 months have passed since a build was set to the ‘default’ branch in Steamworks.
– More than 12 months have passed since the developer posted an ‘update’ type event, notifying players about any update. This applies to Major Updates, Regular Updates, and Patch Notes.
The Early Access section of Steam has long been known for hosting games that developers have unfortunately left behind. This new feature could be a game-changer for players looking to invest in titles that are regularly maintained and developed.
