What to show in a Steam broadcast
27 Oct 2026 · 5 min read
A store page broadcast plays at the top of your Steam page while people decide whether your game is for them. The rules are short, so the real question is what to put on it. Valve answers more of that than most people expect. Everything below comes from Valve's Livestreaming documentation and its broadcast FAQ, checked 27 Oct 2026.
What Valve says a broadcast can be
Valve describes Steam broadcasting as content streamed to the Steam client and web store. It names live gameplay as the most common example, and lists developer discussion round-tables and game or developer history documentaries among the others. The stream shows on your store page and in the Broadcast hub under Community, and a popular stream can be featured on the Steam home page.
The broadcast FAQ goes further for recorded video. Asked whether you can broadcast a prerecorded feed, Valve answers "Absolutely", and says it is a good option if you want to show more than gameplay: your offices, the development team, and a narrative that gives context for the game.
| What to show | Where Valve mentions it | Who it is for (our suggestion) |
|---|---|---|
| Live or recorded gameplay | Valve: the most common example | Visitors deciding whether to wishlist |
| Developer round-table | Valve: listed as other content | Fans who want the people behind the game |
| Game or studio history documentary | Valve: listed as other content | Building a fan base over time |
| Offices, team, the story of the game | Valve FAQ: a reason to prerecord | Context that gameplay alone lacks |
| Replay of a past stream or event | Valve FAQ: allowed, label it | Viewers in other time zones |
Sources: Livestreaming, Broadcast FAQ. Checked 27 Oct 2026. Valve updates these pages; the Steamworks docs always win.
Start with gameplay
Valve lists four things partners told it streaming helps with: engaging the target audience, expanding the fan base, helping existing players explore the full game, and building excitement around updates. Most people who see your broadcast are on the store page for the first time, so the first goal matters most, and gameplay serves it best. Show the game the way the trailer would if it ran for an hour: real play, not menus or loading screens.
If you stream recorded footage, a long loop with variety works better than one short clip repeated. Mix levels, modes and moments, so someone who stays a few minutes sees more than one scene.
Then add the people and the story
Gameplay shows what the game is. A segment with the team shows who makes it, which is what Valve's examples of round-tables, documentaries and office footage point to. A short developer talk about how a feature came about, or a look back at early prototypes, gives a visitor a reason to follow the game rather than only judge it. These segments also suit an update, when existing players want to hear what changed.
Replays are fine, if you label them
You can show a stream again. Valve's FAQ says to add a banner or update the title so the stream is clearly not live, to prevent customer confusion, and notes that partners often put a "Re-Broadcast" banner in the top right corner. Valve also suggests replaying content after major events, because Steam customers are around the world and many missed it live.
The same goes for video that premiered somewhere else. Valve says the stream does not have to be exclusive to Steam, and that content may premiere on another platform and replay on Steam, original or edited. It strongly recommends a visual overlay that marks the replay, and you may say where it premiered. Steam does not replay anything for you and does not save your stream, so keep your own copy of anything you want to show again. The prerecorded video guide covers this in more detail.
Overlays: what to put on top
Valve lists audio and graphic overlays among the features, naming webcam, logos and announcements. Useful ones for a store page:
Ads in the feed. Valve allows ads in a broadcast but strongly discourages them, because they create a bad user experience. On a store page, the game itself is the advert.
Several games in one stream
If you have more than one game, one stream can show them in turn without restarting. Valve recommends updating the Broadcast App ID on your broadcast settings page each time the game on screen changes, so viewers know what they are watching. The change applies to the live stream at once, but store pages can take a few minutes to follow. The streaming account needs every one of those games in its library before the session starts, or the App ID will not update. For a demo, the App ID stays the base game's.
Before launch, and mature games
A game that is not released yet can broadcast once it has a Coming Soon page, and Valve calls this a good way to preview the game, collect feedback and build excitement. See broadcasting before launch. On content ratings, Valve says mature content is fine for a game with a mature rating on Steam, and Adult Only content is not allowed.
Keeping it on air
Valve puts no limit on how often or how long you stream, and says some partners have run continuous streams for more than a couple of days. A recorded mix of gameplay, a team segment and labelled replays can fill the store page around the clock without anyone at the desk. Loopcast runs that from an uploaded video, with no PC left on at home, billed per minute on air. You can try it free for 7 days, no card needed.
FAQ
What can I show in a Steam store page broadcast?
Valve names live gameplay as the most common content, and lists developer round-tables and game or developer history documentaries as other examples. Its FAQ adds that a prerecorded feed can show your offices and team and tell the story behind the game.
Can I replay a stream I already ran?
Yes. Valve asks you to add a banner or change the title so it is clear the stream is not live. Many partners put a "Re-Broadcast" banner in the top right of the video.
Can I show video that premiered on YouTube or Twitch?
Yes. Valve says content may premiere on another platform and then replay on Steam, original or edited. It strongly recommends an overlay that marks it as a replay, and you may say where it premiered.
Can I put ads in my Steam broadcast?
Valve allows it but strongly discourages it, because it makes a bad experience for viewers.
Can one broadcast show several of my games?
Yes. Valve recommends updating the Broadcast App ID in your broadcast settings as the game changes. The change applies to the stream at once, store pages can take a few minutes, and the streaming account must have every game in its library.