Steam Making Changes to Season Passes
Steam is making changes to season passes. The game platform has updated its documentation for developers, including new requirements regarding what studios have to give players in return for a season pass.
Buyer Friendly Change from Steam
Season passes are a familiar sight today, especially in games from AAA studios that inevitably release several DLC packages. In theory, the pass is a great deal for players who think they’ll likely download all future bonus content anyway, but transparency can be a bit of an issue. Many fans were upset with Destiny 2’s season pass when they encountered XP caps after thinking the pass would give them more opportunities to gain XP. By requiring studios to be more upfront about what these packages include, Steam could prevent some similar disappointments.
The new rules appear in the updated Steamworks Documentation, which goes over expectations, requirements, and guides for people wanting to sell games on Steam. One of the most notable changes is that season passes must include a complete list of all the DLC included in the bundle, a brief description of their content, and an expected release date for each DLC. It also requires studios to make at least one of these DLCs available at the time of purchase, unless the season pass is part of a pre-order. Some players may not like that last requirement locking day one content behind a paywall was a big part of the Star Wars Outlaws season pass controversy – but it does mean anyone who buys a pass will get immediate benefits.
The new regulations also require refunds for any canceled DLC. Studios don’t need to refund the entire price of the season pass, but they have to return the amount the DLC would’ve cost separately had it not been canceled. That would mean Marvel’s Spider-Man 2’s canceled Carnage DLC would’ve resulted in refunds if Insomniac had offered a season pass for the game.
Overall, these changes are largely positive for players. People considering buying a season pass will have more clarity on what they can expect in return for their money. At the same time, it could put studios in a difficult position. Destiny 2 devs have explained why transparency is challenging in today’s gaming culture, especially when fans react poorly to developers being upfront about ongoing issues, something many players would be angry about if there wasn’t any clarification on it.
Smaller companies may not also have a complete roadmap lined out yet when they release a game, but Steam’s new rules require a timeline and general content description for all future DLC. Also some might argue that studios shouldn’t sell a season pass if they don’t know what will be in it yet. Regardless, the new regulations will at least clear a few things up for DLC releases.
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