Please support Game Informer. Print magazine subscriptions are less than $2 per issue
Report: Developer Claims Steam Greenlight Will Be Gone Within 12 Months
Valve has previously acknowledge that Steam Greenlight is not the ideal solution for getting games onto its digital distribution service. Gabe Newell even said in his Reddit AMA that the goal is to make a self-publishing system. The question is: When is that happening? A recent tweet from a developer puts a finer point on the issue.
Curve Studios' design director Jonathan Biddle tweeted:
Another source, speaking under the condition of anonymity, tells us more about the shape the new format might take:
"It seems Valve is putting more and more control in the hands of developers/publishers to publish and promote their games on Steam. This is undoubtedly happening but I think there are some smart checks in there to prevent it from turning into the App Store."
Maintaining a curated environment is an important component that Valve can't afford to overlook. Another anonymous source speaks more favorably of Greenlight, since it prevents Steam from becoming a crowded wasteland:
"Greenlight actually felt like a step in the direction to me from their old system. I submitted a couple games to them before Greenlight, and you’d basically just cross your fingers and wait for 2-3 weeks. Eventually, you’d get back a stock email saying “Game X isn’t a good fit for Steam” or what have you. Greenlight at least opened that up with a little transparency, but still maintained the curation. If it becomes an Apple-style app store with anyone able to submit anything at any time… well, I hope they have good filters in place."
We've reached out to Valve for further clarification on the matter.
[Source: Twitter]
Our Take
Greenlight was originally created to make it easier for developers to get their games up on Steam, but as the service grew, the cracks began to show. Valve hasn't made a secret of the fact that Greenlight will change (or go away completely) to meet the needs of gamers and the development community, but an actual deadline on the transition makes it more real.
I’d like to ask you to support Game Informer’s continued coverage of games with a subscription. For less than two dollars per issue, we mail you a full year of 10 print magazines, each with cover stories and preview features filled with exclusive details about the most exciting upcoming games. We profile and interview game creators. We look back on the rich history of gaming, and we celebrate what’s next.
Here on the website, we offer much of our content for free, including game reviews, daily news, videos, event coverage, and more – all with minimal ads.
We do so with a small editorial team, alongside contributing paid writers from around the world – over 65 individuals from 9 countries around the world, just in the last couple of years.
It’s not possible without support.
In a time when game makers and games coverage have faced hard struggles and layoffs, the future of this 30+ year magazine and community is at risk. Our new standalone magazine subscription is the number one way you can keep us alive – and we believe you’ll get a pretty fantastic gaming magazine in your mailbox every few weeks for your trouble.
Thank you.
