Guide

The Steam release process, step by step

There is no single "submit" button on Steam. Between a finished game and a live store page sit two reviews, two hard waiting periods and a manual release at the end. Get the order or the lead times wrong and your launch date slips. This is the whole path, in order, with the minimum time each step needs.

The gates at a glance

GateMinimum timeWhat to know
App fee → release21 daysThe clock starts when you pay the $100 fee. It applies to your first titles on Steam.
Tax verification2–7 business daysChecked by a third party during onboarding. You can't edit tax details while it runs.
Store page reviewUsually 3–5 business daysSubmit at least a week before you want the page public, in case Valve asks for changes.
Coming Soon2 weeks, visibleYour page must be public as Coming Soon for at least two weeks before you can release.
Build reviewA few daysOnly possible after the store page has been submitted.
ReleaseInstantManual. Someone has to press the button.
These are floors, not a plan. Wishlists only build while the page is public, so most indie teams run Coming Soon for months, not two weeks.

1. Finish onboarding and pay the app fee

Sign the agreements, pay the $100 fee, and complete bank, tax and identity checks. Nothing else can move until this is done, and the 21-day release clock starts at payment, so do it first. The onboarding guide walks through each form.

2. Work through the two checklists

Your app's landing page in Steamworks shows two checklists on the right-hand side:

A
Store presence

Capsule art, screenshots, trailer, descriptions, tags, system requirements, pricing and the content survey. All of it has to be complete before you can ask for a store review.

B
Game build

A build uploaded to the default branch, launch options, and the depot and package setup that delivers it. See the build upload guide and depots guide.

3. Complete the content survey

The content survey is required before either review. It sets your regional age ratings, controls mature-content visibility and includes a mandatory generative-AI disclosure. Some answers lock after approval, so read the content survey guide before you fill it in.

4. Submit the store page for review

When the store checklist is green, click Mark as ready for review. Valve checks that the page is accurate, correctly configured and follows the asset rules. If they send feedback, fix it and resubmit. Each round costs days, which is why you submit a week early. Once approved, the page is marked Ready for release and you can publish it as Coming Soon.

The most common rejection reasons are capsule art that breaks the capsule content rules and screenshots that aren't actual gameplay. Check both before you submit.

5. Submit the build for review

Upload a mostly-final build to the default branch. It has to include every feature your store page promises, but it doesn't have to be the exact launch build: you can keep pushing updates during and after review. Valve checks that the game launches, matches its store page and doesn't do anything harmful.

Build review is not QA. It won't catch your bugs. Test on a clean machine yourself.

6. Stay Coming Soon for at least two weeks

The page must be publicly visible as Coming Soon for a minimum of two weeks before release is allowed. Use the time: wishlists, a Next Fest demo, press and creator outreach.

7. Release day

Once both reviews pass and the waiting periods are over, a green Release App button appears at the top of your app landing page. Clicking it shows a summary of what will happen: the store package is published, any launch discount goes live, and the game is marked playable and released with a timestamp of now. You confirm with Publish Now, then Release Now.

The release date on your store page does not release the game. If nobody presses the button, the game stays Coming Soon. The person pressing it needs both the Publish app changes to Steam and Manage pricing and discounts permissions, so check your teammate's account the week before.

A realistic timeline

WhenWhat
6+ months outOnboard, pay the fee, draft the store page and capsules.
3–6 months outStore review done, Coming Soon live, wishlists building.
6 weeks outUpload the build and submit for build review, leaving time for a failed first attempt.
2–3 weeks outSet the launch discount (it can only be set before release). Send keys to press and creators.
1 week outFinal build on the default branch. Clean-machine install test through Steam.
Launch dayPress Release App at your chosen time. Around 10:00 Pacific suits both US and EU players.

Common mistakes

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Submitting the store page in launch week

One round of feedback and you've missed your date. Submit a week early at minimum.

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Forgetting the launch discount

Launch discounts can only be configured before release. After that, the 30-day release cooldown blocks any discount. See the discount rules.

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Store page promises the build can't keep

Listed languages, controller support or features missing from the build are a classic build-review failure.

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Paying the app fee late

The 21-day clock is fixed. If you pay two weeks before your planned date, you can't release on it.

Next step: work through the launch checklist, which puts these gates in order alongside the marketing tasks.