A developer recently turned to Reddit seeking advice from fellow creators, expressing frustration that their game still hasn’t received Steam approval after three years. The problem appears to be connected to the game engine they’re utilizing.
For a game to be released on Steam, developers must submit a build for Valve’s review. Valve states this process normally takes three to five business days, possibly up to a week in some cases. In contrast, the studio’s claim of waiting three years for approval has sparked discussion within the gaming community.
The developer in question is MOONLIT JOURNEYS, currently working on AMYGDALA: Prelude, a retro-style horror FPS set in 1990s Australia, where players battle monsters using various firearms.
On April 30, the studio’s founder Iwannaseetheend posted on the r/gamedev subreddit indicating that despite submitting their game for review, there has been virtually no progress over the past three years. Although they’ve been in touch with Steam support to provide requested information periodically, responses have been sluggish, sometimes taking months to arrive.
Iwannaseetheend states that their team has followed all instructions, yet the approval process remains stalled. The game is, in their opinion, ready for release, but it remains in limbo, with only its Wishlist numbers continuing to grow indefinitely. Seeing other developers release games during this time has left them and their team members increasingly worried that their own title may never make it to market.
The issue, according to the developer, is that Steam support informed them they would need to enter into a commercial agreement with Valve to sell AMYGDALA: Prelude. This requirement seems to be linked to the fact that the game is built using the Source Engine, Valve’s own proprietary engine, used in its internal titles (like Half Life 2) as well as by some external developers. It’s possible that using the Source Engine is causing the delay, as responses from other developers suggest that similar delays have occurred specifically with Source Engine projects.
While the exact cause remains uncertain, the need to complete an additional step—the signing of a commercial agreement (which isn’t typically required for Steam publishing)—appears to be a major bottleneck. The developer reports they were sent the necessary documents by Steam support, completed them, and returned them, but still haven’t received a formal contract, and have had no success with direct emails either.
Currently, no clear solution has emerged. Other developers advised continuing to follow up with support regularly to keep the issue visible. Some even recommended emailing Valve president Gabe Newell directly, as his email address is publicly known, and he occasionally responds. For now, whether AMYGDALA: Prelude will make it to release remains uncertain (you can play a demo, though). However, developers considering the Source Engine for their commercial projects might want to investigate this situation before making a full commitment to it.
Mido