Indie games are missing launch dates because Steam is backed up

Indie game developers are facing unexpectedly long approval wait times on Steam, causing some to miss their planned launch dates. The wait times are reportedly longer than the typical 3-5 business days Valve suggests, with some developers waiting for weeks. This has caused frustration for developers, including Studio Daimon, which had planned to launch its game Food Devils in early access today but is still awaiting approval. Other developers, such as 2 Left Thumbs, have also missed their launch dates due to the long wait for build reviews. The increased number of game submissions, including the 65.2% increase in games during the October Steam Next Fest, may be contributing to the delay. A Reddit user found that 49.9% of all games released on Steam in October were not reviewed until after their release date. The exact reason for the delay is unclear, but it is affecting many indie game developers who rely on Steam for their game's store presence.