Free tool · 44 items
Steam launch checklist
Forty-four things that have to happen before, during and after a Steam launch, in the order
you need them. Tick as you go. Your progress is stored in this browser only; we never see it.
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3+ months before (9 items) Pay the Steam Direct fee ($100, recoupable after $1,000 of revenue)MUST Complete the Steamworks identity check, tax interview (W-8BEN / W-9) and bank detailsMUST Decide the legal entity you will trade as and where revenue landsSHOULD Publish the Coming Soon page as early as you can; wishlists accrue from day oneMUST Write a short description under 300 characters that names the genre and the hook in the first sentenceMUST Make capsule art in every required size and check it is readable at thumbnail widthMUST Pick 15-20 tags; the first five matter most, and check what comparable games useMUST Set a wishlist target for launch (roughly 7,000+ for a shot at Popular Upcoming)SHOULD Decide which Steam Next Fest you will enter; you get one per game, everSHOULD
1-3 months before (13 items) Build the settings menu: resolution, window mode, vsync, audio sliders, rebindable keysMUST Configure achievements, trading cards and cloud saves; each is a store page featureSHOULD Write the save-file compatibility plan for patches, starting with a version fieldSHOULD Confirm licences for every third-party asset, font, SDK and music trackMUST Get age ratings where they are needed (the IARC questionnaire through Steam is free)SHOULD Write a privacy policy if the game has online features, analytics or crash reportingSHOULD Cut a 30-60 second trailer with gameplay in the first five secondsMUST Take 5+ screenshots at 1920x1080, gameplay only, no mockupsMUST Write the long description with GIFs, a feature list and a 'who this is for' lineMUST Set the price, regional pricing and the launch discountMUST Localise the store page for your top five non-English marketsSHOULD Build the press kit: logo, screenshots, GIFs, fact sheet and a contact addressMUST Build a streamer and press list of 100+ contacts who already cover your genreSHOULD
2 weeks before (10 items) Test a clean install on a machine that has never had your dev environmentMUST Upload the build with SteamPipe and verify depots, launch options and the DRM choiceMUST Submit the build for Steam review and allow 3-5 business days, longer near a saleMUST Hook up crash reporting and confirm a test crash arrivesMUST Do a Steam Deck pass: controller glyphs, text size, default resolutionSHOULD Fill in the system requirements honestly, including a Steam Deck noteMUST Set the support page, contact address and Discord link in SteamworksSHOULD Send keys with the embargo date in the subject line, one to two weeks outMUST Schedule the launch announcements: Steam event, socials, Discord, newsletter, forumsMUST Prepare three GIFs and one short vertical clip for launch-day postsSHOULD
Launch week (2 items) Ask your Discord and mailing list to review on day one; the first 48 hours set the badgeMUST Cut a day-one patch branch so a hotfix can ship within hoursSHOULD
Launch day (4 items) Set the release in Steamworks and press Release yourself; it is not automaticMUST Verify the page flips from Coming Soon to purchasable, and buy a copy yourselfMUST Post the launch event on the Community Hub with the trailer and the discountMUST Watch the crash dashboard and the forums every hour for 48 hoursMUST
After launch (6 items) Ship hotfix 1.0.1 within 72 hours for any crash or progress-blocking bugMUST Reply to every review and forum post in the first weekSHOULD Write the post-mortem: wishlists at launch, week-one units, conversion, what you would changeSHOULD Announce the content roadmap to keep the Community Hub aliveNICE Submit to festivals and award shows while the launch is freshNICE Plan the first seasonal sale, discounted deeper than the launch discountNICE Paid version Want this as a database you can edit? The Notion version adds the notes column with what actually goes wrong on each item, grouped views, a launch-week panic view, and progress that follows you across devices. $7.
See it on Etsy Sources: Steamworks documentation plus recurring items from public
launch post-mortems. Steam changes its requirements from time to time; check Steamworks for anything
that involves money, tax or review timing.
