2009 Steamworks Brochure PDF - 1MB
1. What should be my first step?
The first step is to send us a demo of your game, along with information about its release date and target price. You can email this information to steamworks@valvesoftware.com. It is also helpful to send us any information about press coverage that your game has received.
2. How far along should my game be before I send you my demo?
Your demo should be far enough along to show us what the final art and gameplay will feel like. We're happy to take a look at games in the alpha or beta stage. Having a few bugs here and there won't impact our decision.
3. How should I get you my demo?
The recommended method is to put your demo up on an FTP site and send the login information to steamworks@valvesoftware.com.
4. What if I don't have a demo yet?
We always take a look at a game before we decide whether or not to sell it on Steam, so it's best to wait and contact us when your game is further along.
5. Can I send you a full, finished version of my game instead of a demo?
Yes.
6. Does Steam only accept games from major publishers, or will you take a game from an indie developer?
Your game doesn't have to come from a big name studio, as long as it's fun we'd love to see it.
7. What do you look for when accepting games for Steam?
If your game has been previously released we consider such things as year of release, reviews and review scores, previous sales, and awards. Since Steam is a worldwide platform, we also like to know what languages you support. Please let us know as much as you can in those areas. None of those are hard and fast rules, but they help us get a feel for the game.
8. Can you tell me about your pricing model, charges or splits?
We don't discuss our distribution deals publicly. Once we take a look at your game, we'll get to those details.
9. What if I'm interested in Steamworks?
To get access to the Steamworks SDK, you still need to submit a demo of your game. All of our publicly available information is located here. If you have further questions you can contact steamworks@valvesoftware.com.
10. My game is in early development stages, don't I need to plan for the SDK integration now?
The Steamworks SDK is easy to integrate, so you can wait until your game is further along in the development cycle before worrying about it.
