Valve has introduced a new feature on Steam designed to warn users about early access games that may have been left to rot. If a game hasn’t been updated in a long time, a notice will now appear on its store page, potentially saving players from investing in a title that may never reach its promised 1.0 release.
Steam’s early access program has been a double-edged sword for years. While it has allowed countless indie developers to bring ambitious projects to life with community support, it has also left many gamers burned when projects fail to materialize into full-fledged games. Some titles thrive with regular updates and eventually hit completion, while others stall indefinitely, leaving players with unfinished products. Now, Valve’s new warning system could help mitigate some of that frustration.
The feature hasn’t been officially announced by Valve, but it was first spotted by SteamDB and later highlighted by gaming outlets. It flags games that haven’t received updates for extended periods, giving users a heads-up before purchasing. One clear example is Cavern Kings, an early access title that hasn’t seen an update in over eight years. That’s a pretty definitive case of abandonment. Meanwhile, Heartbound recently displayed a warning after going 13 months without an update—though the developer has since clarified the delay and recently pushed a new patch.
While this feature is a step in the right direction, it isn’t perfect. There’s still room for improvement in distinguishing between truly abandoned projects and games with longer development cycles. Some developers go silent while working on significant updates, and automated warnings might not always tell the full story. However, for potential buyers, this added transparency should serve as a useful tool in assessing whether an early access game is worth the risk.
For gamers, this means taking an extra moment to evaluate an early access title before purchasing. Are the developers still engaged? Are there recent updates or clear communication? While Steam’s new warning won’t guarantee a game’s future, it will at least help players make more informed decisions before dropping cash on an unfinished product that may never see completion.
As the feature continues to roll out, it could become an essential part of the Steam shopping experience, helping separate active, evolving projects from games that have been left behind.
