Steam branding rules: the logo, the attribution line and required text
31 Oct 2026 · 4 min read
If your trailer, website, ads or key cards show the Steam logo, Valve has rules for how. This guide quotes them from Valve's Steam Branding Guidelines doc, checked 31 Oct 2026, and links to the logo files and full brand guidelines Valve publishes there.
The general rules
Valve's general guidelines, word for word:
Valve also reserves the right to change these guidelines, to ask you to modify or delete a use of the logo it judges non-compliant, and "to approve any communication using the Steam brand before its distribution."
The legal attribution line
Valve says to use the Steam logo with the "®" mark, and that this attribution must be provided unless Valve gives you an alternative:
©2026 Valve Corporation. Steam and the Steam logo are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Valve Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries.
Valve's doc links translations of the line in other languages.
Text for boxes, keys and Early Access
| Where | What Valve requires |
|---|---|
| Packaging of any product activated on Steam | The Steam Subscriber Agreement notice, starting "REQUIRES INTERNET CONNECTION AND FREE STEAM ACCOUNT TO ACTIVATE." It must be prominently displayed on a background color clearly different from the packaging's primary color. The full text, in several languages, is on Valve's page. |
| Any product using territory-restricted Steam keys | "This product may only be activated and used in the following territories: [territory list]" |
| Anywhere you sell Steam keys for an Early Access game | A Steam Early Access logo, a clear description of the game's current state, and the Early Access text below, clearly legible. |
This Steam Early Access game is currently not a finished game and may or may not change significantly over the course of development. To learn more about Steam Early Access, please visit http://store.steampowered.com/earlyaccessfaq/
Valve says it requires this so customers who buy an Early Access game outside Steam also understand what they are getting. The rules for Early Access itself are in Steam Early Access, and key types and limits in Steam product keys.
Logo files and brand guidelines
All of these are downloads on Valve's branding page; use those files rather than a logo copied from elsewhere.
Sources: Steam Branding Guidelines. Checked 31 Oct 2026. Valve updates these pages; the Steamworks docs always win.
Where a broadcast fits
Valve's branding doc is about your marketing materials and says nothing about broadcasts. A store page broadcast is a separate thing: your game in motion on the store page. Loopcast keeps one running from an uploaded video, billed per minute on air. You can try it free for 7 days, no card needed.
FAQ
Can I use the Steam logo in my game's marketing?
Yes, within Valve's guidelines: use only approved Valve artwork, keep the logo standing alone, never imply that Valve sponsors or endorses your materials, and do not make Steam marks a primary or prominent feature. Valve also reserves the right to approve any communication using the Steam brand before it goes out.
What legal attribution does Valve require with the Steam logo?
Use the logo with the registered mark and include: "©2026 Valve Corporation. Steam and the Steam logo are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Valve Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries." unless Valve gives you an alternative attribution.
What text must I show when selling Steam keys for an Early Access game?
Valve requires a Steam Early Access logo, a clear description of the game's current state, and this text, clearly legible: "This Steam Early Access game is currently not a finished game and may or may not change significantly over the course of development. To learn more about Steam Early Access, please visit http://store.steampowered.com/earlyaccessfaq/"