Valve is introducing new rules regarding Steam store page descriptions, prohibiting the inclusion of external links within the text.
Developers will no longer be able to link to other websites, including social media pages, and Valve stressed that the latter are covered by the specific link fields already available.
Store descriptions must also not link to other games on Steam, or use embedded images that mimic Steam's user interface or buttons, such as wishlist buttons.
The restrictions will apply to four sections of each page (including “About the Game,” “Brief Description,” “Special Announcements,” and “Prizes”) and will go into effect in early September.
In its post explaining the changes, Valve explained that the move was in response to a trend where developers use these spaces to present links that “distract from learning about the game itself.”
“We've been seeing more and more store pages that are actually ads for OTHER (emphasis original) Steam store pages,” the company wrote. “This means that on some Steam store game pages, you'd find listings for two, three, or even eight other games before you could even read the description of the game you were looking at.
“We don't think this is good for customers trying to get information about a game on Steam, so we wanted to update the rules to prohibit games from using the written description area to link to other games on Steam.”
The company added that this also ties in with recent changes to how demos are handled on Steam, including the introduction of separate store pages.
Valve had noticed that several developers were releasing “prologue” games on Steam, which was also confusing players and forcing studios to purchase a separate App ID. Those who still wish to create prologue games can now do so via the Demo App ID.