Builders are calling on Valve to vary how Steam’s backlink system is dealt with. In a video from final week, writer 2 Left Thumbs (corroborating a priority initially raised by developer Thiago Oliveira) confirmed that clicking a developer’s identify on Steam will result in the writer’s Steam web page.
When a recreation is launched on Steam, its writer is chargeable for releasing screenshots, writing an outline, and offering different backend info. Because of this they will additionally hyperlink to a developer’s Steam web page (if a developer has one) or private web site.
As 2 Left Thumbs factors out within the video, publishers linking to their very own Steam web page implies that builders can lose out on clients exploring their previous or future releases.
“It has turn into far too frequent to screw over the builders by making each hyperlinks go to the writer’s web page,” stated 2 Left Thumbs within the video. “As a person, if I discover a recreation that I like, I am more likely to lookup what else that developer has achieved.”
Chained Echoes from developer Matthias Linda and writer Deck 13 was used for instance. Within the video, clicking Linda’s hyperlink will take customers to Deck 13’s Steam web page.
Recreation Developer later confirmed this happens on each the PC and cell variations of Steam, and different publishers concerned within the observe embrace Annapurna and Uncooked Fury.
On the finish of their video, 2 Left Thumbs asks for publishers to both be extra “developer pleasant,” or for Steam to make it in order that publishers cannot be allowed to double hyperlink to themselves.
“Almost each main writer does this,” they wrote on Twitter. “My intent is to result in an vital change throughout all of Steam.”
Recreation Developer contacted Valve for remark, and can replace when a response is given.
