Steam store page audit and review: how Valve's review works, how long it takes and how to pass first time

When developers search for a Steam page review they usually mean one of two things:

• Valve's review. Before your page can go public as Coming Soon, and again before release, Valve checks your store presence and your build against its rules. This is a pass or fail compliance check, not marketing advice.
• A feedback review. Someone looks at your page the way a player would and tells you whether the capsule, short description, trailer and screenshots make them want to wishlist.

Passing Valve's review does not mean your page converts. It means it is allowed on the store. This guide covers Valve's process first, then how to get the second kind of review before your traffic arrives. If you want a scored Steam store page audit right now, our free tool does that in about 20 seconds. Not on Steamworks yet? Start with how to publish a game on Steam, which covers sign-up, the fee and the waiting periods.

Valve's Release Process docs describe two checklists on your app's landing page in Steamworks: one for your store presence and one for your game build. Both have to be completed, reviewed and approved before release.

1. Create the app and pay the Steam Direct fee. Each new app needs an app credit, which costs $100 USD (or equivalent). Valve says the fee is not refundable but is recouped once the product reaches $1,000 in Adjusted Gross Revenue.
2. Complete the Store Presence checklist. Everything in the "Your Store Presence" section is required before you can post a Coming Soon page: the description, graphical assets, screenshots and the other required fields marked on the checklist.
3. Click "Mark as ready for review". This puts the page in Valve's queue.
4. Fix any feedback. If reviewers find a problem they send feedback. If not, the page is marked "Ready for release".
5. Click "Post as Coming Soon". Approval does not publish the page for you. You press the green button when you want it live.
6. Submit your build. Valve only lets you submit the build for review after the store page has been submitted.
7. Release. Once the build is approved and your page has been Coming Soon for at least two weeks, you press "Release App" yourself. Approved games never release automatically.

Those are working days, so a page submitted on a Thursday afternoon will often not come back until the middle of the next week, and public holidays stretch it further. Add a buffer for one round of fixes, because a rejection means fixing and resubmitting.

A simple timeline to work back from:

• Want your Coming Soon page live for a showcase or announcement? Submit the store page at least 7 business days (about a week and a half) before it.
• Want to release on a set date? Your page must have been public as Coming Soon for at least two weeks before that date, and your build should be submitted at least 7 business days before it.
• Joining Steam Next Fest? Your page has to be live and your demo build approved before the fest, so leave more room than you think. Our Next Fest dates and deadlines page lists the cut-offs.

Valve's Review Process page lists what reviewers look for. In plain terms:

• Only what exists at launch. Screenshots, trailers and features should show content that will be in the game. Planned features must be clearly marked as not released yet.
• Readable title on capsules. Every capsule needs a readable product name or logo.
• Gameplay-only screenshots. No concept art, pre-rendered cinematic stills, or images with awards, marketing copy or written product descriptions.
• A detailed, coherent description. Players should know what they are buying. You cannot link to other websites from the description. Our Steam game description template lists all of Valve's description rules and image limits.
• Early Access answers. If you are launching in Early Access, every question in the Early Access section must be answered, explaining what is in the game now and what is still to come.

To make sure nothing is missing before you click Mark as ready for review, go through our Steam store page requirements checklist: every asset, field and spec Valve needs.

Valve's Graphical Asset Rules (in force since 1 September 2022) are strict about what base capsules can contain: game artwork, the game name and any official subtitle, and nothing else. That rules out:

• review scores of any kind, from Steam or the press;
• award names, symbols or laurels;
• discount text such as "On Sale Now";
• calls to action such as "Wishlist now" or "Available Oct 4th";
• anything promoting another product, including your sequel;
• any other stray text.

Library assets have their own rules. The library capsule must include your logo (a subtitle is allowed, nothing else), the library hero must contain no words at all, and the library logo is just your logotype on a transparent background. All capsules must have accurate dimensions and PG-13 artwork. Valve notes that games breaking these rules may get less visibility and can be left out of official sales and events, so it is worth getting right even after approval.

Our Steam capsule sizes and art guide has the full size table, and the free capsule size checker tests your files before you upload.

• It launches. The game must start properly on every operating system you list on the store page. If you have not tested macOS or Linux, do not tick them yet.
• Listed features exist. Everything selected in the Basic Info tab (controller support, multiplayer, cloud saves and so on) must work in the build. Remove a feature until it ships.
• Steam Wallet for purchases. In-game transactions must use Steam Wallet, and you cannot link to stores that do not offer it.
• Near-final, not final. Valve asks for a near-final build. You can keep updating it during and after review.

Once your page and build are approved, Valve says there is no need to go through review again. You can edit your page and update your game as often as you like. That is good news, but it also means nobody at Valve will warn you if a later change makes the page weaker.

To check edits before players see them, use the "Preview changes in store" link while editing. Valve's store page editing docs explain this beta mode, which shows your unpublished changes before you publish them.

Valve's review tells you whether the page is allowed, not whether it sells. For that you need eyes that are not yours:

• Test the capsule small. Most players first see your game as a 120×45 or 184×69 thumbnail in a list. Put yours next to games in your genre and ask a stranger which they would click.
• Read the short description cold. Ask someone who has never seen the game to tell you the genre and what you do after reading only the short description. If they cannot, rewrite it. Our short description guide shows the pattern that works.
• Watch the trailer muted. Many players watch without sound. If the first few seconds do not show gameplay, see our Steam trailer tips.
• Check the first four screenshots. They appear when players hover your capsule, so they carry more weight than the rest. The free screenshot and trailer checker checks count, size and order against Steamworks requirements.
• Ask in developer communities. Feedback threads in indie dev forums and Discords are free, but expect mixed quality. Ask specific questions ("does the capsule read at small size?") rather than "thoughts?".

Before a fest or launch, run through our Steam Next Fest page checklist as well. It covers the whole page in 25 checks.

A free WishlistLab audit reviews your live or Coming Soon page the way a player would. Paste your Steam URL and it scores your capsule, short description, trailer, screenshots and tags, then tells you the three fixes that matter most. If you want a deeper look at every area with rewrites, see the Deep Audit options on our pricing page.

How long does Steam take to review a store page?

Valve says store presence review typically takes 3-5 business days, and recommends submitting at least 7 business days before you want the page live so there is time to fix any feedback.

How long does Steam build review take?

Also typically 3-5 business days. Valve asks you to plan for at least 7 business days before release, and you can only submit the build after the store page has been submitted for review.

Do I need Valve to review my page again after I edit it?

No. Once your store page and build are approved, Valve says there is no need to go through review again, and you can update the page and game whenever you need to.

How long must my Coming Soon page be live before release?

At least two weeks. For new products, Valve requires the Coming Soon page to be public for two weeks before you can press Release App.

Why was my Steam capsule rejected?

The most common reasons are text other than the game name and subtitle (review scores, awards, "Wishlist now" or discount text) or a title that is not readable. Valve's Graphical Asset Rules limit base capsules to game artwork, the game name and any official subtitle.