Valve has rolled out a new feature on Steam that alerts players to early-access games that may have been abandoned. This tool is designed to help users avoid investing in titles that risk remaining incomplete over time.
The warning appears directly in the Early Access section of a game’s store page, indicating how long it has been since the game last received an update. Additionally, Valve highlights that any information provided by the developers—such as planned content or release schedules—may no longer be accurate.
A message on affected game pages will read: “The information and schedule described by the developers here may be outdated.”
With this update, Steam is making it easier for players to identify games that have been left unfinished or lack continued support, helping them make more informed purchasing decisions.
How Steam Flags Potentially Abandoned Early Access Games
It’s important to note that Steam has its own criteria for determining which Early Access games receive the abandonment warning. For example, a game like Heartbound still carries the alert, even though it recently received updates in its beta build. This suggests that not all updates are enough to remove the notification.
Valve has not disclosed the specific factors it analyzes to decide whether a game keeps the warning, nor how long a title must go without updates before the alert appears. While this may not significantly impact players, transparency between Steam and developers is crucial to prevent misunderstandings or errors in the system.
The Rise of Early Access Games and Steam’s New Approach
Early Access games have surged in popularity in recent years, attracting millions of players even before reaching full development. This model not only builds dedicated fan bases but also provides developers with early financial support to complete their projects.
Some of the latest hits in Early Access include Manor Lords, Hades II, Palworld, and many others—titles that, despite not being fully released, already boast massive player communities. However, Steam’s new warning system isn’t targeting these actively developed games. Instead, it’s focused on those who have remained in Early Access for extended periods, earning revenue while failing to deliver meaningful updates.
