Steam has implemented several updates to the functionality and presentation of free demos on its platform. These changes are based on feedback from developers and players.
Demos now have improved behavior within the Steam Library. Users can add demos to their library without installing them immediately, thanks to a new “add to library” button. Additionally, demos can be installed regardless of whether the full game is owned. This change is intended to aid developers in testing and to help users manage demo installations. Demos can also be explicitly removed from an account through a right-click menu option, and uninstalling a demo will automatically remove it from the library.
There is now the option for demos to have a separate store page. This allows developers to better describe the contents of the demo, add screenshots, upload trailers, and specify supported features. Some demos will still appear as a button on the full game’s store page, while others will have their own dedicated store page.
Standalone demo store pages will feature links to the full game’s store page for wishlisting or purchasing. Developers who enable a store page for their demo will also allow players to post user reviews for the demo, which will appear on the demo store page. If no separate store page is enabled, user reviews will not be available for that demo.
Demos can now appear in more sections of the Steam store, similar to free games. This includes the Steam homepage, “New & Trending” charts, “New on Steam” page, and relevant tag and category pages. Changes have been made to the thresholds for free products to appear in these sections to balance them with paid products.
Steam will now send notifications when a demo becomes available for a game on a user’s wishlist or from a developer they follow. Users can opt in or out of these notifications by updating their email preferences.
For more information, visit the Steam website.
