Steam’s Release Date Delays and the Rise of AI Slop
A new kind of Steam problem has emerged: games keep missing their release dates because Valve can’t keep up with approving them.
Several frustrated indie developers have publicly posted about the limbo status of their finished games, with titles like Food Devils, Wheel Make It, and Cubic Earth reporting that their applications remain unanswered after up to 20 days, despite Valve’s promised three‑to‑five‑day review window.
In the case of Cubic Earth, developer structmira has been unable to contact Valve and now watches a trailer that has amassed over 60,000 YouTube views and 6,000 wishlists, while the Steam page fills with complaints and loses momentum.
Valve said its recent Steamworks update, aimed at helping developers pass preview, admits it is running behind, with wait times now up to double the usual.
“We aim to test every game build in a timely manner, typically within 3‑5 days. However, we’re running a little behind right now and taking up to 12 business days,” Valve’s FAQ reads. “Much of that delay is due to having to re‑review games, which isn’t great for you or for us.”
Though Valve hasn’t explained why the recent logjam has appeared, the growing number of AI‑generated games suggests the issue is related to artificial intelligence.
New language models can quickly generate functional games, leading to an explosion of low‑quality AI slop titles on Steam that often go unnoticed unless users browse without personalized recommendations.
If today’s update seems aimed at novice creators rather than seasoned developers, it reflects a broader trend: platforms like Itch.io are also deleting terabytes of AI‑generated content to curb the flood of low‑quality games.
Valve says more changes are on the way, but this revised checklist is merely a great starting point.
