Valve’s November 3, 2026 Steamworks update adds a playtime check to the release checklist. Its announcement tells developers to launch the game through Steam and run it for at least five minutes before submitting it for review. The practical question is whether Steam records the session for the build you intend to submit.
Valve’s November 3 Steamworks checklist update
Check the session against the build
Valve describes starting from the Steam Play button. Its announcement says playtime from any user can count, and describes a recency rule: playtime must fall within the past seven days, or since the latest build when that build was uploaded longer ago. It also says the checklist may take a few minutes to reflect playtime after the session ends. Check the current checklist for your app before relying on a prior test.
Steamworks’ review documentation distinguishes the store presence review from the build review. A completed playtime item gives evidence for one prerequisite; it does not establish approval of either submission or guarantee a launch date.
Steamworks documentation: review process
Use a small handoff record
Imagine a fictional team testing a puzzle game. A tester opens yesterday’s executable directly for ten minutes. A second tester installs the intended review build and launches it from the Steam client. The team records these as different activities. The first test may be useful for debugging, but its duration alone does not demonstrate the new Steam checklist item.
After the second session, the team writes down the build identifier, launch method, session time and observed checklist state. If the item still appears incomplete, they record that as unresolved. They check whether the intended build was installed and allow for the documented reporting delay before assuming a defect.
Keep approval visible as a separate milestone
A release coordinator can track three milestones: the intended build is ready, the checklist reflects the test, and Steamworks shows the review outcome. Record the actual outcome and any requested changes before updating a public release plan. This worksheet is an original planning example. It does not represent a Steamworks account, an actual build review or a tested turnaround time.