Valve reminds devs they can't use in-game paid advertising on SteamValve reminds devs they can't use in-game paid advertising on Steam

This week, Valve is reminding developers that they are not allowed to use in-game advertising on Steam.

According to its rules (which were visible in Steam's pricing policy, but now have their own dedicated page), developers cannot use paid advertising as a business model for their game, such as requiring players to engage with ads before playing, or locking gameplay behind ads.

"If your game's business model relies on advertising on other platforms, you will need to remove those elements before shipping on Steam," Valve stated.

Other unsupported methods highlighted on the new page include using ads to "provide value to players," like giving a reward for watching or engaging with in-game ads. Developers are also not allowed to charge their fellow developers for access to Steam features like being included in game bundles or sale, store, and franchise pages.

For existing games with ads, Valve recommends developers switch their those games to a single-purchase paid app or convert it to a free-to-play title while selling DLC or microtransactions.

Publishers may be the only ones who want in-game ads

Online advertising policies takes on different forms, and some of Valve's rules are different than how they're handled outside Steam. For example, YouTube will require non-premium users to watch an ad (or some of it) before progressing.

In 2024, executives at EA and Netflix expressed interest in bringing in-game ads to their titles. For Netflix, these promotions could be a potential revenue stream for its game business, and would only be served to subscribers of the ad-supported tier of its larger service.

Conversely, EA head Andrew Wilson thought putting ads in triple-A games would be a "meaningful growth driver...as we start to build community and harness [its power] beyond the bounds of our games." At the time, he said any such ideas were early, but nonetheless indicated "very thoughtful implantations" were being concepted at the publisher.

Months before the two companies opined on ads, Microsoft and Ubisoft came under fire for their pop-ups. In these instances, players felt these went too far in promoting 2023's then-upcoming Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III and Assassin's Creed Mirage. Back then, Ubisoft attributed the Mirage ad to a "technical error" from trying to put it in the main menu for other Assassin's Creed games.

On Steam at least, there will be no obnoxious or restrictive promotions if Valve has anything to say about it.