Three Years of Waiting
Indie horror game Amygdala: Prelude has been stuck in Steam approval for three whole years, according to its developer. The game is currently about 80 percent complete and ready for early access, but Valve's approval remains elusive. This situation has left the developers frustrated as they watch other games launch while their project waits in limbo.
The team reached out to Steam support in 2023, only to discover that because Amygdala: Prelude uses Valve's own Source engine, they need a commercial agreement to sell the game. Since then, the developers have been trying to finalize this agreement, but communication with Valve has been slow and choppy.
Communication Issues
According to the developers, they often wait between six and 12 months for replies to their inquiries. They have found themselves stuck in a frustrating cycle where they provide requested details to Valve, only to receive no response for extended periods. Eventually, they are told they must resubmit the same information.
"Stuck on Steam approval for 3 years by u/Iwannaseetheend in gamedev"Stuck on Steam approval for 3 years by u/Iwannaseetheend in gamedev
One developer expressed their feelings of helplessness, stating, "We’ve been stuck on this loop for the last few years and aren’t making any progress." The exhaustion from the prolonged wait is palpable, with the team feeling the strain of their hard work going unrewarded.