Steam Bans Intrusive Ads to Preserve the Gaming Experience
2025 is seeing numerous positive changes on Steam, and Valve is announcing a new move to improve user experience, specifically regarding ads.
Steam is definitely the go-to platform for PC gamers. As of 2025, it boasts 132 million active users per month, offering an unmatched selection of games. For many, it has become the benchmark in the PC gaming industry.
With the end of 2024 and the start of 2025, we’ve seen numerous changes, including the introduction of Steam Families and the recent changes to Early Access, in response to the emerging trend of Early Access to games with premium editions.
Steam and the News About Banning Ads in Games
The announcement was initially shared by GamingOnLinux, who noticed the dedicated page on February 9, 2025. They shared the news after finding the section on the Steamworks Documentation page.
The news was then shared by numerous outlets. There’s now a dedicated page addressing the issue of advertisements on Steam. Valve is reinforcing that they do not allow in-game ads as a business model, a model that’s very common in the mobile gaming world.
Valve Now Bans Steam Games That Force Players to Watch Ads https://t.co/2xGvtyNvCQ pic.twitter.com/LoPhEAQu1I
— TechPowerUp (@TechPowerUp) February 10, 2025
What Changes with Valve’s Decision
In fact, the regulation implemented by Valve on Steam already existed. What GamingOnLinux noticed was the creation of a dedicated section for an already established rule. The regulation allows developers to place logos as part of the game experience.
In addition to promotions, collaborations, and paid ads outside of Steam. What stands out the most is the fact that in-game ads can’t be used to provide a “value” to players, whether it’s in-game currency or premium content. This protects users from potential games based on this model.
In Conclusion
This news further confirms Valve’s stance on games using an ad-based model. A model that, while popular in mobile markets, is seeing adoption in many cross-platform games. Some even of considerable importance like Infinity Nikki. But on the other hand, this confirms that some of these games will never be available on Steam.
It seems that in 2025 we’ll see further steps forward from Valve, in a gaming industry that often pushes too far at the expense of its users. What do you think about the situation? Are you in favor of Valve’s decision? Let us know in the comments!
A video game enthusiast ever since I first got my hands on a Game Boy. Over the years, I've played many different games across various genres, discovering hidden gems and niche titles along the way. I'm also passionate about technology, always up-to-date with the latest news and insight in the PC and Console market. Ready to share and bring you the latest news !
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