To that end, the upcoming Steam Direct system will simply require new developers to provide some company paperwork and tax details ("similar to the process of applying for a bank account") before distributing games on Steam. Each title submitted through Direct will require "a recoupable application fee. which is intended to decrease the noise in the submission pipeline." Valve says it hasn't settled on a precise amount for that application fee and that developer responses have suggested anywhere from $100 to $5,000 might be plausible. Advertisementįurther Reading A $100 lottery ticket: Indies discuss Steam Greenlight’s new feeWhile Steam Greenlight originally launched as freely available to any game developer, Valve quickly rolled out a $100-per-developer fee to "cut down the noise in the system." That required payment was controversial at the time, with some likening the system to paying for a lottery ticket that only offered a chance at ever being listed on Steam.Īt the same time, Steam has faced what some see as problems with overcrowding in the post-Greenlight era (thanks in part to the 2013 introduction of Steam Early Access for games still in active development). As time went on, it seemingly became easier and easier for Greenlight games to get approved for sale on Steam. Over 4,000 new titles showed up on the platform in 2016, compared to just 379 in 2012. While you could once assume that being on Steam meant a game met a certain quality benchmark, now the service more closely resembles an iOS-style free-for-all where finding quality titles can be much tougher. Valve has rolled out a number of tools to help users cut through all this noise, such as a massive Discovery update in 2014 that introduced tags, user-curated lists, and algorithmic discovery queues on top of the already existing user reviews (which were themselves overhauled in 2016). Valve also started honoring refund requests for games that had been played less than two hours in under two weeks, helping users be less wary of taking a chance on an unknown game. Over the same time period, the average number of titles purchased on Steam by individual customers has doubled." Valve says these changes have been effective at helping users pick through Steam's huge selection, as "the average time customers spend playing games on Steam has steadily increased since the first Discovery Update. Still, Greenlight provided at least a small filter that prevented some of the least appealing candidate games from even showing up on the main Steam digital storefront. Under the coming Steam Direct system, the only significant barrier to putting a game on the service will be a bit of paperwork and a small fee. In other words, be ready for Steam to be less selective and more crowded than ever in the coming months.Sneaky Ninja is the 2D stealth platformer lovechild of Mario and Mark of the Ninja, featuring the tactical stealth gameplay of Mark of the Ninja mixed with the light-hearted platforming and acrobatic stunts of Mario. Utilize your ninja agility, arsenal of powers and equipment, and your environment to conceal yourself and escape the enemy samurai in one piece. Use weapons like shuriken, arrows, and your trusty blade to strike from the shadows or create distractions with rocks and smokebombs to make an opening. Magical powers allow you to extinguish light sources from a distance, teleport through walls or into cover, and even temporarily slow down time. Choose from four playable characters with their own unique abilities, each catering to a different playstyle. Use everything you’ve got to give you an advantage over your powerful enemies and make it out alive. Sneaky Ninja will be released on PC and Wii U in 2015. Stay tuned for more details, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube for updates!
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