Valve has introduced several changes to how demos are handled on Steam, as well as how developers can better present them to potential players.
Perhaps the most notable new feature is that studios can now create separate store pages for their free demos, where they can post screenshots, trailers, and specify the content of this download. These pages will also automatically link to the full game's store page for wishlisting or purchasing.
In the announcement post, Valve said that these pages are optional and can be removed at a later date if the developer so chooses. Studios will need a full written description, screenshots, and tags before a page can go live. Pages can be set up for demos that are already available on Steam.
The store page will also collect and feature user reviews specifically for the demo. If the developers choose not to have a separate page for the demo, these reviews will not appear.
Valve also assured developers that Steam will “treat their demo pretty much the same” regardless of whether or not it has a store page.
“One factor that may come into play is that if your demo ends up getting a ton of negative reviews, it could be less appealing to potential players and you could be shut out of some views if the review score is too low,” the company wrote.
“Of course, the other side can also be true: if players love your demo, the positive feedback from other players can increase interest.”
Demos will now be treated “more like free games” on Steam, and as a result will be able to appear in the same sections as them, such as the “New and Trending” lists or the “New on Steam” page.
“Releasing a new free demo of your game will behave similarly to releasing a free indie game on Steam,” Valve explained.
Finally, Steam can also be set to send an email to players who have wishlisted the full game or to their company's supporters when the demo is released. Studios will “have some control” over when this email is sent; for example, those releasing demos during Steam's Next Fest press preview can wait to notify players until Next Fest officially begins.
There are other, more consumer-oriented changes, such as the fact that demos can be added to a player's library without installing them, they can be removed from accounts entirely, and they can still be installed if players own the full game.