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Valve Bans Forced In-Game Ads From All Steam Titles (kotaku.com)
submitted 3 months ago by alessandro@lemmy.ca to c/pcgaming@lemmy.ca
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[-] Pika@sh.itjust.works 77 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

I want to add, this was an existing ruling, they just clarified the rule. Every article it seems is using each-others clickbait titles(the linked article even references it in the edit).

The change that they made was that they added a dedicated section to the developer guidelines, where before they only had it on their pricing page.

This rule has been in effect for 5 years now according to steamdb.

[-] Mwa@lemm.ee 11 points 3 months ago

Who the hell would force ads on a pc game.

[-] SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world 35 points 3 months ago

Ubisoft

[-] 7355608@lemmy.world 28 points 3 months ago

EA. Microsoft. Sony. They all already have product placement similar to movies in their games. Anything to make a buck, except make good games.

[-] Reil@beehaw.org 11 points 3 months ago

This seems to be targeting "watch these ads to get credits" model, which is pretty common in free-to-play games.

One of the funnier/less annoying ads-in-game I've seen would be where they fill the spaces where ads normally are, though. Like, if a game had an IRL stadium or street, they would replace the billboard contents with their own ad content instead of putting in ersatz advertising.

[-] stardust@lemmy.ca 7 points 3 months ago

Whatever happens on mobile has ended up being adopted onto traditional gaming platforms down the line. My first encounter with stuff like IAPs was on mobile and lot of people's first introduction to gaming these days is mobile games, so next generation will be more open to it.

[-] Mwa@lemm.ee 2 points 3 months ago

Oh

[-] TriflingToad@sh.itjust.works 5 points 3 months ago

Along a laundry list of bad companies there's runescape fucking RUNESCAPE of all games!

[-] Mwa@lemm.ee 2 points 3 months ago

Sounds like a joke tbh

[-] TriflingToad@sh.itjust.works 2 points 3 months ago

I sounds like a joke, but they've had the cycle of
1: release controversial change to get more money
2: get protests/boycotts of people stopping their membership (subscription)
3: make an 'agreement' that still gets them more money but is mild enough that protests won't meaningfully continue
4: wait a few months for people to cool off
5: repeat

I think this 'cycle' was a lot more violent this time because it was made by a parent company rather than Jagex themselves.

[-] Mwa@lemm.ee 1 points 3 months ago

Never knew a cycle existed

[-] ILikeBoobies@lemmy.ca 4 points 3 months ago

Sports games do it

[-] Bronzebeard@lemm.ee 2 points 3 months ago

They have game-interrupting full screen ads? Our just product placement. Because only the former is banned

[-] ILikeBoobies@lemmy.ca 1 points 3 months ago

I guess not interrupting because players don’t view having to click through ads to get to the menu as interrupting

[-] DesolateMood@lemm.ee 1 points 3 months ago

Which game makes you click through ads to get to the menu?

[-] Kolanaki@pawb.social 3 points 3 months ago

Does it count if they are ads for things in the game I am playing? Cuz that seems to be pretty standard in a lot of MP shooters these days where every time you log in, you're bombarded with what are basically ads for new skins, events, features, etc.

[-] ILikeBoobies@lemmy.ca 2 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

What the other person said is what I’m referring to

though the nhl games put actual ads on the boards and pause menu that change on updates cycles

[-] Mwa@lemm.ee 1 points 3 months ago

So like Fifa,Makes sense tbh.

[-] teejugg@lemmy.ca 2 points 3 months ago

A lot of people 😆

[-] gamer@lemm.ee 4 points 3 months ago

Is it just me or is that title worded as confusingly as possible?

[-] BlameTheAntifa@lemmy.world 3 points 3 months ago

Next, they should ban hate speech from their own forums.

this post was submitted on 10 Feb 2025
358 points (98.6% liked)

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