Indie game releases are slipping as Steam approval queue slows

In short: Indie game developers say Steam’s review process is running slow, and some games are missing their planned release dates.

What's going on

Developers of smaller, independent games are reporting longer wait times to get their games approved on Steam, the popular PC game store run by Valve. Before a game can go live, developers typically submit a “build” (the version players will download) and Steam reviews it.

Several developers say that review is taking much longer than they expected. Some have posted on social media and forums that the delays are causing them to miss launch dates they already announced.

One example is Studio Daimon, which planned to release its game Food Devils in early access on November 3. “Early access” means the game is available to buy and play while it is still being finished, and the studio updates it over time. The team says it submitted its build on October 12, but the game was still awaiting approval, and the studio did not know when it would get the final go ahead.

Another example comes from publisher 2 Left Thumbs, which said it missed the planned launch of Wheel Make It by nearly two weeks due to a long wait for build reviews. The publisher also described failing one review because a single menu option could not be used with a controller.

Valve’s own documentation for developers says a store review “typically takes 3 to 5 business days.” Valve also suggests submitting at least 7 business days early in case changes are needed.

What to watch

If Steam’s queue stays backed up, more indie studios may delay release dates or stop giving exact launch days until approval is done. Players may see more “coming soon” pages instead of firm dates, similar to how shipping delays can make stores avoid promising exact delivery times.

Source: The Verge AI