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Steam Blocks Indie Game Demo Over Alleged IP Issue With Developer’s Own Work

The case shows how Steam’s IP checks can burden small creators.

Overview

  • Valve blocked the Wired Tokyo 2007 demo, saying it might use “intellectual property from third parties.”
  • The content flagged was a dinosaur-themed card game shown in the demo, which appears to be Dinostone, a 2023 board game by the same creator.
  • Valve told the developer to provide license agreements or a lawyer’s opinion explaining why no licenses are needed, or the app would not ship.
  • The solo developer says they published Dinostone under the pseudonym Daikichi, which makes formal proof of ownership hard to produce and legal fees out of reach.
  • The developer signed a letter granting themselves permission to reuse their own works and resubmitted the demo, and Valve has not publicly said if this clears the review.