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Valve Blocks ‘Watch Ads To Play’ Models On Steam

• Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
• Fact-Checked by Justyn Newman Former Lead Cybersecurity Editor

In a Rush? Here are the Quick Facts!

• Developers cannot require players to watch ads for rewards or game access.
• Product placement and cross-promotions are allowed if they are non-disruptive.
• Valve has also banned NFTs, crypto games, and undisclosed generative AI use.

The update, which was recently highlighted in Steam’s developer guidelines, ensures that players won’t have to watch ads to access gameplay features, as first reported by Gaming On Linux .

The clarification appears in a newly dedicated section of the Steamworks documentation, where Valve explicitly states that paid advertising cannot be used as a core business model.

While elements like real-world product placement and cross-promotions between games remain permissible, developers cannot require players to watch ads to unlock content or progress in a game.

The new rules state that developers must not implement paid advertising as a way to provide value to players. This includes rewards for watching ads or locking gameplay behind ad interactions.

Additionally, developers are prohibited from charging other studios for access to Steam’s promotional features, such as store pages or bundles.

SteamDB on Bluesky noted that while the advertising policy page is new, the rule isn’t. Valve has banned these in-game ads for at least five years, as shown on its pricing policy page.

Valve has created a dedicated page describing that in-game ads or ad-based revenue models are not allowed in Steam games. This has been reported as a new policy, but this has been the case for at least 5 years as seen on the pricing page, there just wasn’t a separate page. [image or embed] — SteamDB ( @steamdb.info ) 10 February 2025 at 07:43

The ban specifically targets monetization models that have become widespread in mobile gaming. Many free-to-play mobile titles require players to watch ads to continue playing, receive in-game rewards, or access certain features. Valve’s update ensures that this practice won’t extend to Steam’s ecosystem.

However, the rule does not prevent developers from promoting their own games within their titles. Ads for other games from the same developer remain acceptable as long as they do not interfere with gameplay or force player interaction.

This move is the latest in a series of consumer-friendly decisions by Valve.

In recent years, the company has introduced policies requiring developers to disclose kernel-level anti-cheat software, increased transparency for Early Access titles, and implemented a more structured Season Pass system, including refund policies for missing DLC content.

By maintaining a strict stance against intrusive advertising, Valve continues to differentiate Steam from other digital storefronts. The update reassures players that Steam remains a premium gaming platform free from the ad-driven monetization strategies common in mobile gaming.

Photo by Chris Yang on Unsplash

South Korea Spy Agency Criticizes DeepSeek For Over-Collecting Data

• Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
• Fact-Checked by Justyn Newman Former Lead Cybersecurity Editor

South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) accused the Chinese AI company DeepSeek of “excessively” collecting user’s data and urged government agencies to improve security. The institution also revealed that the AI model adapts answers depending on the language used and claimed that kimchi originated in China when asked about the dish’s origins in Chinese.

In a Rush? Here are the Quick Facts!

• The NIS accused DeepSeek of collecting user’s data has been described as “excessive.”
• The agency noted that the AI model provides different answers based on the language used for interactions.
• In Chinese, the model claims kimchi is Chinese and not Korean.

According to Reuters , the Korean intelligence agency issued a statement on Tuesday warning about the use and risks of the Chinese technology.

“Unlike other generative AI services, it has been confirmed that chat records are transferable as it includes a function to collect keyboard input patterns that can identify individuals and communicate with Chinese companies’ servers such as volceapplog.com,” said the NIS in a public statement.

According to Korea JoongAng Daily , the NIS stated that DeepSeek offers advertisers and the Chinese government access to user’s personal data with “few constraints.” The agency also pointed out that the information provided by the chatbot is inaccurate and changes depending on the language used during the interaction.

In Korean, the China-based chatbot describes kimchi as “a dish that represents Korean culture and history,” in English that its origin is “related to Korea,” and in Chinese that it’s “from China, not Korea.”

DeepSeek’s AI has been repeatedly accused of censorship , particularly concerning sensitive topics.

Some government ministries have already banned DeepSeek, joining other nations such as Italy , Australia, and Taiwan with restrictive measures.

South Korea, Australia and Taiwan have restricted government employees from using China’s DeepSeek app. All three countries say it poses a security risk. pic.twitter.com/Pg9lUByhWk — EpochTV (@EpochTV) February 8, 2025

The United States, Microsft, and OpenAI are currently investigating the Chinese startup for potential restricted use of advanced AI chips and unauthorized data acquisition.