As we learned earlier this year, Steam's Curator Connect feature stands to let developers search for appropriate Curators, and send them copies of their games directly through Steam. In what Tyler aptly described as a "formalized, proactive system for PR", the feature aims to prevent fraudsters from obtaining and reselling Steam keys.
According to Kotaku UK, Steam's Curator Connect is now operational, having spent the last several weeks in closed beta.
As reported by our sister site, an initial tip was confirmed by two more developers who now have access to the new feature—which ultimately makes it easier for devs to locate specific curators who might like their style of games. Moreover, curators can now embed videos under the new system, group their reviews under specific headings, and customise their homepage.
One notable benefit from our perspective as Steam users is that smaller curators, who were otherwise buried by more popular names in the old system, stand to become more visible.
To echo Tyler, the Curator Connect system underscores Valve's push to see Steam less as an online store, and more of a self-governing environment for promoting, buying, selling and critiquing videogames. It's early days yet, so we'll be keeping an eye on how the changes are received and developed over the coming weeks and months.
Steam has changed its policy on DLC content and season passes, so now players are entitled to proper compensation if future plans fall through: 'Customers will be offered a refund for the value of unreleased DLC'
Indie distribution platform Itch.io now requires asset creators to disclose the use of generative AI in their work
