No Man's Sky has been in a serious crisis since then. Although it created what appeared to be the perfect hype, it didn't turn out well after its release. From controversies to controversies, many have already doubted the future of the game. Add to that the fact that the devs have remained quiet (because that "mistake" Tweet apparently was a hack). One of the popular issues Hello Games is facing is the investigation being conducted by advertisement watchdog ASA (Advertising Standards Authority). And thanks to it, Steam has opted to introduce a brand new policy for game developers.
According to International Business Times, the domino effect of No Man's Sky has resulted to a new policy being cooked by Steam. It basically refers to the banning of any screenshots that don't necessarily represent or showcase the final product on the game listing. The titular digital distribution platform -- owned by Valve Corporation -- decided to do so following the investigations of ASA on Hello Games' tentpole title.
The aforementioned ban on the said "bullshots" was explained in new guidelines (which can be seen in Steamworks) in hopes to avoid any faults similar to what No Man's Sky did. It says that all games in the website must only utilize in-game screenshots -- all of which are true or that they really exist in the game. This policy will start as soon as the upcoming major update for the store goes live.
It's worth noting that No Man's Sky draw flak after players noticed that most screenshots weren't even found in the game itself. That, in one way or another, this was another sort of bullshot marketing strategy. With the new Steam policy, both the developers and the publishers will have to use genuine screenshots so as not to create false hopes. This also means that studios have to use these images over artwork, most especially when promoting their titles on the storefront.
It's safe to say that Steam was really bugged with what happened to No Man's Sky. In fact, to make things official, the online store has started showcasing changeso DotA 2 -- a game that is also under the umbrella of Valve. It's worth noting, though, that the company won't be checking every single images uploaded by the developers. The policy is basically more of encouraging them to let their customers know what the "game is actually like to play."
What are your thoughts on No Man's Sky and its future? How about the new Steam policy? Do you think it's only right for Valve to implement it? Regardless of your answer, share us what you think at the comment section below!
