Steam now warns you if a PC game in 'early access' might be abandoned.
Be careful when buying, but make sure to research.
Steam has implemented a new feature aimed at informing users about the status of games in early access. This tool alerts players on a game’s store page if a considerable amount of time has passed since the last update. This notice is especially relevant for titles that could be considered abandoned, allowing users to exercise greater caution before making a purchase.
Although Valve has not made an official announcement regarding this feature, several media outlets have pointed out its existence, revealing that SteamDB was the first to mention it. A clear example of this warning is the store page for Cavern Kings, which indicates that the game has not received updates in over eight years, making its probable abandonment by the developers evident.
On the other hand, the game Heartbound by Pirate Software has a warning for not having been updated in 13 months, which is reflected in the "mostly negative" reviews from users. However, the developer recently communicated through a note that explained the delay and released a patch just a few days later.
This new warning feature on Steam may not yet be fully developed, but it represents an effort to improve transparency in early access and help consumers make more informed decisions when purchasing a game.
