Series of Steam games stolen from indie developers highlights Valve's moderation struggles

Some makers of indie games are finding their work surface on Steam. Unfortunately, these titles may appear on Valve's platform without their consent. A Gamepressure article describes how one developer posted dozens of stolen projects on the marketplace. The latest incident shows how Valve fails to moderate the constant influx of new Steam games.

The Steam developer in question refers to themselves as "me" or "myself." Gamepressure learned that many of the nearly 70 titles from the developer originated from itch.io. The website provides exposure to emerging game makers, with some offerings available for free or often $5 or less. Among the games stolen by "me" are Hard Cop 2 and Open Star Fighter, which previously launched on itch.io.

Most of the suspicious titles are no longer on Steam, but "me" remains active. Critics previously blamed Valve for embracing shovelware or, in some cases, promoting malware. It's inexpensive to publish Steam games, even if promoting the titles is much more difficult. As a result, the site has experienced incredible growth. At the same time, it has also become inviting to developers with questionable intentions.

Valve has also come under fire for allowing hate speech and harassment in the Steam forums. With a hands-off approach, the company relies on gamers to report infractions. The indie games sourced from itch.io were likely only taken down after complaints from users.

The problem of shovelware, copycat titles, and stolen games also extends to the console world. On the PlayStation Store and Nintendo eShop, fans see an overwhelming number of suspicious listings. Generative AI has contributed to the issue, where the tools can quickly develop generic-looking assets. To make a quick profit, many of these titles imitate popular games with misleading names.