Valve will forbid to show awards and press ratings on Steam game covers

Developers use different methods to promote their creations. In-store covers have become one of those methods. Designers contain there scores, awards and other details that should attract customers. However, Valve does not like such measures.

According to the company's Gabe Newell, unnecessary text and icons on the banners interfere with perception and mislead gamers. Valve refers to problematic images as those with tiny logos displaced by text, irrelevant rankings or non-localized captions that people can't understand.

To regulate the format of covers, Valve has provided a list of rules for their design. Illustrations of the game's title and subtitle can be used as a banner. The image may not contain the following information:

• Steam or third-party review ratings.
• Logos and award titles.
• Marketing text about discounts.
• Advertisements for another project.
• Unrelated text.

However, Valve was not too strict, so it made an exception. Developers will be able to talk about major updates (additional content, a seasonal event, etc.) with the cover in Steam. But it must necessarily be a replacement picture, which will last on the page for no more than a month. The text on it must be translated into at least the languages supported by the game.

New design rules will take effect on September 1, 2022. If violated, Valve will limit the product's visibility in the store and prohibit him from participating in Steam sales and events.