Steam Direct Replaces Greenlight, Valve Approves 3400 Games

On June 13, 2017 Valve announced the launch of Steam Direct, the replacement for the much maligned Steam Greenlight. Greenlight sounded like a good idea at first, it allowed players to vote for which games should be approved for Steam.

Unfortunately, it didn't take long for shady studios to game the system. Lots of junk, broken products, and 'asset flips' soon flooded the once prestigious Steam service. The problem got so bad that nearly 40% of all games in Steam's library were released in 2016 alone. A shocking figure that riled up many critics including Jim Sterling.

If you thought 2016's numbers were bad, just wait until 2017 is over. To celebrate Greenlight's retirement, Valve decided to throw a jubilee! Nearly all of the 3,400 games in the Steam Greenlight backlog have been approved. Amnesty for all, if you want to get political. I'm sure there are a few gems in that crowd, but I've always been a firm believer in the 'Burden of Choice' - the more options we have, the lower we value each of those options. If you feel overwhelmed by a massive Steam Library yet feel like there's nothing worth playing, you're not alone. Its natural.

Valve's move here feels almost like an insult or slap in the face aimed at all those critics who have been lampooning the current approval system for years. Let's hope the Steam Direct service proves more useful.

Further Reading: Steam Direct Now Available