The developer of indie horror game Amygdala: Prelude says it has been waiting for Valve's approval to launch on Steam for three years. The holdup stems from the need for a commercial agreement to use Valve's Source engine. Despite being nearly ready for early access, the game remains unable to sell.
Amygdala: Prelude, an indie horror game built in Valve's Source engine, is about 80 percent complete and prepared for Steam early access, according to its developer. The team set up a Steam store page but has been unable to go live due to a lack of approval from Valve. A post on r/gamedev from the developer details the ordeal, which began in 2023 when they first contacted Steam support about using Source commercially. Support informed them that a commercial agreement was required, and since then, progress has stalled amid slow communication from Valve. The developer reports waiting six to 12 months for replies, often repeating the same information after periods of silence. “We’ve been stuck on this loop for the last few years and aren’t making any progress,” the developer wrote. Direct emails to Valve have also gone unanswered, leaving the team frustrated after investing three years of time, money, and effort. The post highlights the emotional toll: “It’s painful watching everyone else ship their games every day whilst ours is stuck accumulating wishlists indefinitely but no one is able to buy.” Team members have grown exhausted, missing original and extended shipping dates, and worry they may never release, as similar issues affect other Source-based projects. Community replies on Reddit note Valve's reputation for slow responses and suggest using Source without a prior agreement was risky. A free demo is available on Steam for non-commercial use, but sales remain blocked. Kotaku has contacted Valve for comment.
