Steam Screenshots Section Must Now Only Contain Actual Screenshots

[Steven Bogos]

Steam Screenshots Section Must Now Only Contain Actual Screenshots

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Valve is reportedly tightening its restrictions on the "screenshots" section of Steam Store titles.

In an email that is reportedly being sent out to developers [https://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1540060], Steam is tightening its restrictions on the "screenshots" section of games' Steam Store pages. Essentially, this section can only only contain... actual screenshots. Concept art, pre-rendered cinematic stills, or marketing copy (such as a list of awards) will be forbidden from this section in the future.

"We haven't been super crisp on guidelines for screenshots in the past, so we'd like to take this opportunity to clarify some rules in this space. When the 'screenshot' section of a store page is used for images other than screenshots that depict the game, it can make it harder for customers to understand what the product is that they are looking at. Additionally, we're going to start showing game screenshots in more places as described above, and these images need to be able to represent the game," wrote Valve.

"We ask that any images you upload to the 'screenshot' section of your store page should be screenshots that show your game. This means avoiding using concept art, pre-rendered cinematic stills, or images that contain awards, marketing copy, or written product descriptions. Please show customers what your game is actually like to play."

Valve offered up its own DoTA 2 of an example of the Screenshots section done wrong, and is now in the process of removing all "non-screenshots" from the section.

This certainly is a good move, and should no doubt help customers get a better picture of how a game actually is.

Source: Facepunch [https://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1540060]

Permalink

 

[aegix drakan_v1legacy]

About freakin' time!

Seriously, this should have been implemented a long time ago.

 

[Dr.Awkward]

Now here's the real question: Are they willing to go further to enact that developers and publishers cannot touch up their in-game screenshots thus looking prettier than what's actually seen in the game?

 

[PsychicTaco115]

It's like Gabe Newell himself came down from Heaven and *****-slapped every yahoo with internet access and a large ego

 

[Denamic]

Does that mean that it's screenshots and screenshots only? No artwork even if there's actual screenshots present? I mean, it's perfectly reasonable to demand screenshots in the screenshots section, but I quite like some of the artwork too.

 

[FogHornG36]

I like seeing artwork, and memes...

 

[American Fox]

NO BULLSHOTS

 

[Saelune]

Does that mean that it's screenshots and screenshots only? No artwork even if there's actual screenshots present? I mean, it's perfectly reasonable to demand screenshots in the screenshots section, but I quite like some of the artwork too.

I like seeing artwork, and memes...

There is an Artwork tab which is basically anything goes. Just use that.

 

[Bindal]

Does that mean that it's screenshots and screenshots only? No artwork even if there's actual screenshots present? I mean, it's perfectly reasonable to demand screenshots in the screenshots section, but I quite like some of the artwork too.

There is a seperate Artwork Section specifically for that.

 

[Neverhoodian]

I don't say this very often anymore, but Valve...you done good.

Now, about those Team Fortress 2 beta screens that have been on the store page since day one...

 

[Ragsnstitches]

Pretty sure this still allows bullshots even when the images demonstrably do not represent the game (like Colonial Marines), but at least it tightens the noose a little more around the early access charlatans. It's been a while since Valve has done anything praise worthy, so I'll take it.

 

[Aerosteam]

I don't think it means real screenshots though and you can still include in-game screenshots taken at a cinematic angle but I'll wait and see.

I hope it's just a start and they go further with this.

 

[Laughing Man]

Now here's the real question: Are they willing to go further to enact that developers and publishers cannot touch up their in-game screenshots thus looking prettier than what's actually seen in the game?

Interesting and will they apply this same strict guideline to 'developers' on Steam Greenlight?

 

[CaitSeith]

Does that mean that it's screenshots and screenshots only? No artwork even if there's actual screenshots present? I mean, it's perfectly reasonable to demand screenshots in the screenshots section, but I quite like some of the artwork too.

I'm pretty sure it refers to the store pages, not the steam community. I assume the developers can upload their own art in the Steam community as any other user; but no longer showcase them in the storefront as screenshots.

 

[flying_whimsy]

In other words, valve is trying to deny any culpability for all of the blatant fraud some of the devs have been pushing on us over the last few years.

I can't help but wonder if this is tied to the false advertising investigation for no man's sky; you know, the one that focuses mainly on their steam page. @_@

 

[Steve the Pocket]

The question is whether they're going to go back through the entire store and flag games that are already there, or make this a from-now-on requirement like basically every other new rule they've ever imposed.

Come to think of it, what do they expect people to do if they catch a developer breaking the rule? There's no Report Violation button, and they're certainly not going to review every submission in advance, so why even bother having the rule? Or any rules at all that they can't enforce automatically through some aspect of the software?

Does that mean that it's screenshots and screenshots only? No artwork even if there's actual screenshots present? I mean, it's perfectly reasonable to demand screenshots in the screenshots section, but I quite like some of the artwork too.

I like seeing artwork, and memes...

There is an Artwork tab which is basically anything goes. Just use that.

There is a seperate Artwork Section specifically for that.

This isn't about user submitted content in the Steam Community; it's about what's being put in the screenshots gallery on the store page. Did you even read the article?

 

[IamLEAM1983]

At least, this rules out the Early Access fuckwits from posting a hastily-assembled mess of code and visual art on Greenlight with DeviantART Moeblobs serving as the cover art...

It won't plug all of Greenlight's failings, but it's at least a step in the right direction.

 

[cikame]

This is awesome, there's a place for concept art and it's not on a store page, especially after a game releases.
The Far Cry 4 screenshots are gross, they all look like in-game assets but boy are they touched up in kind of a revolting way... just look at them.

A google search brings up the rest of this bullshot series, but the game does mostly look like this, they're just arranged and presented in a way you'll never see in the game... i wonder if shots like this will still be allowed.

 

[Infernal Lawyer]

Now here's the real question: Are they willing to go further to enact that developers and publishers cannot touch up their in-game screenshots thus looking prettier than what's actually seen in the game?

Actively? Fuck no. This is the store where they won't notice something is literal malware until it's reported.

Hell, they're incapable of even catching Greenlight games that can't fill basic submission requirements like "have four or more screenshots". Valve doesn't enforce their own rules unless the community is screaming at them.