Steam Revises Season Pass Policy: DLC Content and Release Dates Must Be Clearly Stated – No More Mystery Boxes

Valve has recently made some important changes to Steam’s policy, specifically aiming to make Season Passes more transparent for gamers. Now, developers who wish to sell Season Passes need to ensure that they “clearly communicate” what downloadable content (DLC) will be part of the pass and when players can expect each piece to arrive.

Under these updated guidelines, game developers or publishers planning to sell a Season Pass must provide at least one DLC already available for purchase at the time the pass goes on sale. This move is designed to ensure that players are getting immediate value from their purchase.

Beyond this, there are additional requirements. A detailed list of all DLC included in the pass must be provided. Developers also need to give expected release dates for each DLC and a basic description of what each piece of content entails. These descriptions should provide a rough idea such as “explore a new area, discover two new weapons, and face new enemies.” Furthermore, while developers can change the name of a DLC closer to its release, they still must adhere to the scheduled timeline.

Valve explained their reasoning behind this policy: “By offering a Season Pass, you’re essentially promising future content. When launching a Season Pass, you must commit to specific release timings for each DLC, which is a promise to both your customers and Steam itself.” They emphasize that if developers aren’t ready to detail the content of each DLC and their launch dates, they shouldn’t be selling Season Passes on Steam. The commitments made carry risks, as developers are pledging to deliver future content on schedule.

An additional feature of the new policy addresses what happens if there are delays or cancellations. If a developer needs to delay a DLC once in a given Season Pass, they can choose a new release date up to three months later than initially planned. However, if further delays occur, they’ll need to consult with Valve. As for canceled DLC, players who purchased the Season Pass will receive refunds for the value of any unreleased content. More detailed information about the refund process can be found on the policy page.

With these changes, what do you think about the new Season Pass policy? Does it make you more confident in buying Season Passes? Feel free to share your thoughts below!