Valve has introduced a new warning system on Steam to alert customers when an early access game appears abandoned or neglected. The warning is triggered by games that haven’t received significant updates in over 12 months.
The warning, displayed under the Early Access Game banner, states that the last developer update was more than 13 months ago and advises users to check for updated information. However, this system has a limitation: it only recognizes game content sent to the stable branch, excluding non-game-related updates such as videos from the developer’s YouTube channel.
This raises questions about fairness, as developers may post beta patches to test new features before releasing them to the wider audience. Nonetheless, the warning serves as a valuable tool for cautious users, helping to prevent financial losses on games that no longer receive support. This feature highlights Valve’s commitment to customer satisfaction and its ongoing efforts to improve the user experience on Steam.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonevangelho/2025/02/05/valve-warns-millions-of-steam-users-about-abandoned-games