Steam introduces a new option that allows Early Access game developers to publicly list their planned 1.0 release dates or, alternatively, provide broader timeframes for when their titles are expected to reach full feature status. The move marks a notable change in how the platform handles early asset titles and complements another of Steam's recently launched features.
Valve has formally allowed early access titles on Steam since March 2013. In the years since, the company has gradually refined its approach through policy updates and new platform features. The most recent of these came on February 6, when Valve introduced the option for developers to list their planned release dates for 1.0.
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How Steam's new 1.0 Release Target feature works in practice
The new Steam feature was implemented as a form input found under the “Early Access” tab of the “Store Page” editor interface of an Early Access game. There, developers can now set a 1.0 release target indicating when their title is scheduled to leave early access. They can also choose the level of granularity to communicate that timeline to fans, with four options currently available: exact day, month and year, quarter and year, or just year.
Steam's new label example “Leaving Early Access”.
Once the 1.0 target date and its level of public granularity have been selected, Steam will display the information directly below the prominent blue “Early Access Game” box near the top of the game's store page, just below the media gallery and, if the user is viewing the store page of a game they already own, the review prompt. The release target will be marked with a self-explanatory “Leaving Early Access” tag. If the developer has also filled out Steam's existing Early Access form — detailing how the final version will differ, how community feedback will be incorporated, and whether pricing will change after 1.0 — that information will appear directly below the “Leaving Early Access” line.
Steam's current granularity options for 1.0 release date targets
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Show exact day
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Show month and year only
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Show quarter and year only
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Exhibition year only
Steam's newest feature was added by popular demand
By allowing developers to formalize 1.0 goals directly on store pages, Steam reduces information fragmentation and helps make those pages more informative. In a prepared statement, Valve said the new option was introduced in response to requests from both current and former developers for early access. Studios championing the feature argued that clearer visibility would help existing owners and potential buyers better understand creators' plans with a given Early Access project. Valve began seriously considering the addition after the launch of Steam Personal Calendar in late October 2025, which made it realize that its flashy new user interface was missing an entire category of very relevant and potentially useful data: 1.0 release dates.
Rearrange the cases in the correct US release order.
Start
Rearrange the cases in the correct US release order.
Light (5)Medium (7)Hard (10)
While the newly introduced feature could potentially help improve transparency around Early Access titles, its overall impact will still depend on bona fide usage and the ability to meet publicly listed goals with some degree of consistency. For example, a developer might commit to a 1.0 release date, month, or year, and then continue to postpone their choice indefinitely. If the displayed window becomes a floating placeholder rather than a credible or realistic commitment, it may do little to clarify expectations and may even intensify the backlash compared to the current norm of offering no formal timing at all. As game development is somewhat unpredictable, delays are sometimes inevitable, but a visible trail of successive revisions can still leave players feeling disoriented, highlighting the trade-off between publishing goals early and dealing with the disappointment that can follow when those goals keep changing.
Perhaps because of these risks or some other reason, Valve says developers shouldn't feel pressured to use the new feature to communicate their goals for the 1.0 release date. As one company representative put it: “When in doubt, wait.”
