Steam does not support games that use paid advertising as an in-game business model. Valve’s guidance rules out requiring players to engage with ads to play, gating gameplay behind ads, and rewarding players for watching or interacting with them. The dedicated policy page, published in February 2025, clarified an existing restriction rather than creating a new ban.
What Steam’s policy prohibits
Valve’s Steamworks advertising guidance states: “Steam does not contain any paid advertising, nor are advertising models supported in games distributed on Steam.” It says developers should not use paid advertising as a business model in a game.
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- Ads required to play: Players cannot be required to watch or otherwise engage with advertising to access a game.
- Gameplay gated behind ads: Developers should not put gameplay behind an advertising interaction.
- Rewards for ad engagement: Giving players in-game value for watching or engaging with ads is also identified as an unsupported model.
Valve says that if a game’s business model relies on advertising on other platforms, the advertising elements need to be removed before the game ships on Steam. Its examples focus on paid advertising and ad-based monetization; the page does not settle every possible incidental or borderline promotional display.
Is this a new Steam rule?
No. The dedicated policy page made Valve’s position easier to find, but reports published on February 10, 2025 described it as a clarification or reiteration of an existing rule, not a newly introduced prohibition. The official page does not give the restriction’s original effective date, so it is more accurate to say Valve clarified the policy in 2025 than to claim the ban began then.
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What developers can use instead
Valve points developers toward two monetization approaches: a single-purchase paid app, or a free-to-play game with optional upgrades sold through microtransactions or downloadable content. These are suggestions in the guidance, not a guarantee of approval or a universal recommendation for every game.
What the policy still allows
Context-appropriate product placement
A game may include real brands, products, or personalities as product placement when the portrayal suits the game and does not disrupt it. Developers must obtain any required permissions or licenses for copyrighted material.
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- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
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Cross-promotion and external campaigns
Valve supports cross-promotional activities such as bundles and sale events, including promotion of products or brands outside Steam. Developers must not charge other developers for access to bundles, sale pages, or other Steam pages.
Paid advertising outside Steam to direct people to a game’s Steam product page is also permitted. Valve identifies Store Widgets and UTM Analytics as tools developers can use for that work.
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- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
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How to assess a borderline promotion
The policy is clearest about ad-supported business models, ads that interrupt or gate play, and rewards for ad engagement. When evaluating a less obvious implementation, consider where the promotion appears, whether it is paid advertising, whether it affects access to gameplay, whether the player receives an in-game reward for engaging, and—if it is product placement—whether it is appropriate, non-disruptive, and properly licensed. Valve’s page does not define every edge case; developers unsure about a specific implementation should consult current Steamworks documentation or Steamworks support.
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- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
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