Indie Horror Game Delayed for Three Years in Steam Approval, Allegedly Due to Valve’s Engine Usage
Indie horror title Amygdala: Prelude is reportedly about 80 percent complete and gearing up for early access. The developers have set up a Steam store page and are eager to launch, but they’re facing a significant hurdle: their game has been awaiting approval from Valve for three long years.
This information comes from a post on a game development forum by the team behind Amygdala: Prelude. They shared that they initially contacted Steam support back in 2023 when development began, only to be informed that, since the game is built on Valve’s Source engine, they needed a commercial agreement to sell it. Since then, the developers have been trying to finalize that agreement, but Valve has requested various details to move forward.
Unfortunately, communication with Valve has been frustratingly slow. Three years later, the developers report no progress on the agreement. They claim that at times, they’ve waited between six and twelve months for a response from Steam support. They’ve noticed a troubling pattern: after providing requested information, they often face months of silence, only to be told they need to resubmit the same details. “We’ve been stuck in this loop for the last few years and aren’t making any progress,” they lament. “I’ve poured my time, money, love, and effort into this game over three years, following all the guidelines, and now we’re at a standstill.”
In the discussion, some users suggest that the delays may stem from the challenges of using the Source engine, along with Valve’s reputation for slow responses, causing Amygdala: Prelude to get lost in the shuffle. Others point out that this seems to be a common issue for developers working with Source, suggesting it was a risky choice to develop without a signed agreement. Still, three years of waiting is tough, and the developers are feeling the pressure:
“It’s painful watching everyone else release their games while ours is stuck accumulating wishlists indefinitely, with no one able to purchase it. I’m eager to start recouping our development costs, and it’s been really hard on me and the team. Most of us are exhausted as we’ve surpassed our original (and extended) early access launch date waiting for Valve, and we haven’t been able to earn a cent for our game. We’re all worried that we might never get to release it, as this same situation seems to be happening to many other titles.”
It’s unfortunate, too, because Amygdala: Prelude has a lot of potential. While it may not be everyone’s favorite genre, the eerie design of the monsters and the striking lighting in the screenshots are certainly eye-catching. While attempts to reach Valve for comment have been made, we wish the Amygdala team the best in salvaging three years of hard work. Fortunately, since Valve allows non-commercial use of Source without an agreement, there is a free demo available on Steam for those interested in checking it out.
