Steam Implements New Feature to Alert Users of Outdated E...

Steam, the popular digital distribution platform owned by Valve, has been instrumental in providing a platform for small to medium-sized developers to showcase their games and gather feedback during the development process. However, not all games in the early access program receive regular updates, leading to concerns about games potentially being abandoned. To address this, Valve has introduced a feature that alerts users when an early access game hasn't been updated for an extended period.

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The New Feature: A Warning Notice

Valve has yet to formally announce this feature, but it has been noticed by both Eurogamer and PC Gamer, and first highlighted by SteamDB. The feature manifests as a warning on the store page of an early access game that hasn't been updated in a while. For instance, the store listing for 'Cavern Kings' flags that its developers have not updated the game in over eight years.

Potential Limitations and Future Developments

While the feature provides a valuable heads-up for potential buyers, it may not be entirely foolproof. For example, 'Heartbound' by Pirate Software currently has a warning for not being updated in 13 months. However, the developer posted an update note in January explaining the hiatus and released a patch on February 1st. This suggests that the feature may still require fine-tuning to accurately reflect the status of games in the early access program.