Key Takeaways
- SteamDB has been a key source of game updates and leaks, but that may be coming to an end.
- Most likely in an attempt to hide updates from prying eyes, SteamDB is now allowing developers to add “private branches” to app info.
- This means we’ll no longer be able to snoop on ongoing development for certain titles. Silksong fans are in tatters.
SteamDB has been a great source of excitement for many people who are still waiting for their most-anticipated games to arrive. If there’s a game out there that has a rabid fanbase, chances are that the SteamDB page is monitored like a hawk by certain people, desperate to see any hint of movement from the developer.
SteamDB is exactly how we found out that Concord was still being worked on following its shutdown, and it’s even leaked potential release dates, PC ports, and major events in the past. It’s also been the source of great distress for the Hollow Knight: Silksong community, though there’s very little out there that doesn’t have that community in the mud these days.
SteamDB Is Trying To Stop Us From Snooping On Games In Development
You can probably imagine that having updates so regularly available to the public is a major cause of headaches for big developers out there that would rather its work remain a secret. Well, it seems as though SteamDB is finally doing something about it, as it was revealed earlier this week that “private branches” are being added to certain games that will let developers hide updates from the public (thanks GamesRadar).
Right now, the database says that this feature is only available for “some games”, though it’s difficult to imagine that this wouldn’t be rolled out to every developer that wants it if it sees a lot of use. In any case, it’s a little disappointing that we might eventually stop being able to see what developers are working on in the future, even if it was just the odd update to let us know whether games are still alive.
Then again, maybe it’s best for some people. That way, hopes aren’t raised over almost nothing. That’s exactly what happened to the aforementioned distressed Silksong fans, who were duped into thinking news was on the way after a “beta testing” update was added to the game’s SteamDB page. Turns out, it was just an automatic Steam update, and the hopes of Silksong fans were shredded once again.
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