Valve sets new guidelines for devs selling season passes on Steam

New rules have been established for developers using Steam to sell their games' season passes. In its posting, Valve put studios on the hook for delaying post-launch content, and said offering a season pass is "promising future content. You will be asked to commit to a launch timing for each content release in the Season Pass, [which is] is a commitment to both players and Steam."

"If you aren't ready to clearly communicate about the content included in each DLC and when it will be ready for launch," it continued, "you shouldn't offer a Season Pass."

These changes only pertain to season passes specifically: in its FAQ, Valve explained how a battle pass can be "similar, but different: an in-game character or skin is already predetermined and become unlockable at specific gameplay milestones, usually depending on a player's pace. In this instance, Valve defines a season pass as developers choosing "when the content is released to [players], and that release is not based on gameplay milestones."

So, an Apex Legends or Diablo IV battle pass is exempt from this, but a season pass for Borderlands 3? That needs to play by Valve's rules.

As part of the new guidelines, season pass listings must now include a complete list of what will be bundled in, a basic description of each DLC, and the expected release date for each piece of content. Whether the date is specific or somewhat vague ("Winter 2025" or "January 2025," for example), Valve said the listing must have some kind of window—and in the event of a delay, developers can push back the season pass date by up to three months, but only that one time.

Valve warned that if the release date has been missed, and it was not directly contacted about a delay longer than three months beforehand, it will delist the season pass from Steam and refund players for that specific DLC or the entire pass. Refunds will also be conducted if a DLC within that season pass ends up canceled.

Additionally, season passes for already-released games must have at least one DLC that is already out when it's made available for purchase. Exceptions are made in the case of pre-ordering a game's deluxe edition.

More information on Steam's new season pass rules, including how to set up a season pass on the storefront, can be read here.