Steamworks Documentation
Valve's official documentation for publishing on Steam: the Steam Direct fee and onboarding, store page and graphical asset rules, Coming Soon pages, review and release process, pricing, builds and Steamworks features such as achievements and cloud saves. Read it before paying the fee or announcing a release date.
Guide
Other
Valve
Intermediate
Free
What it is
The Steamworks documentation explains how to put a game on Steam and use Steam's features. The sections that matter most for a first release are:
- Steam Direct fee and onboarding: the digital paperwork, identity and bank details, tax information, and the fee.
- Store presence: store page, graphical assets and their rules, trailers, tags and the Coming Soon page.
- Review process and release process: what Valve checks and in what order.
- Builds, depots and branches: uploading your game.
- Features: achievements, Steam Cloud, Steam Input and more.
Key facts (as of 2026-09, from Valve's docs)
- Steam Direct costs US$100 (or equivalent) for each new app. It is not refundable, but it is recouped in the payment after your product reaches at least US$1,000 in adjusted gross revenue.
- For new products, a Coming Soon page must be public for at least two weeks before release.
- You submit the store page for review, then the build. Valve's review of a store presence typically takes 3 to 5 business days, and both the store page and build must be approved before release.
Always check the current pages before you plan dates; rules and timings change.
Is it worth reading?
Yes, fully, before you pay the fee. Many launch problems, such as rejected capsule art, a store page that cannot go live in time, or a release date that slips because of review, are covered in the docs. It also explains the content rules your game and store page must follow.
Time
A few hours to read the onboarding, store presence and release sections.
Common questions
Do I need a company? No, individuals can sign up, but you must provide accurate identity, bank and tax information.
What does Valve take from sales? Revenue terms are in the Steam Distribution Agreement you accept during onboarding; read it.
Is there a waiting period? Read the onboarding and release pages for current requirements, including the two-week Coming Soon minimum.
Where it fits in the Sefism roadmap
It is the reference pick for the shipping stage. Read it while your game is still in development, not at the end, so the Coming Soon page and reviews fit your schedule.
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