Starting from September 2024, Steam will introduce new rules that will prohibit developers from leaving links to social networks or other websites, images of other games, and elements that resemble the store interface in game descriptions.

The official announcement says that Steam has recently noticed a trend – some developers have started using the game description space to provide information or links that distract users from the game itself.

As a result, three new rules are being introduced:

  • You cannot add links to other websites. The page should not contain any links to other sites, including social media profiles. There is a separate section for social media.
  • No embedded images that mimic the Steam interface or buttons in it. Game descriptions should not contain anything that resembles the store’s interface, such as buttons that look like the add to favorites button.
  • It is forbidden to add images of other games on Steam, as well as links or widgets leading to them. Instead, it is recommended that you customize the page of the bundle, franchise, or developer.

If developers do not remove links from the description of their games on the platform by September, these links will be automatically hidden.

To ensure that developers do not lose the opportunity to advertise their games, including through methods such as separate game pages with prologues, Steam has improved the functionality of demos and created a close connection between the demo and the main game.

In general, developers are given more tools so that they can promote their games without various distractions and without violating community rules.