Valve introduces the Custom Game Pass to provide custom game developers on Dota 2 an opportunity to earn some money for their efforts.
Sounds familiar? Well, that's because it is. Last year, the company allowed players to charge others money for their mods on The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim via Steam. As everyone knows, that didn't stick around, and it was lifted a few days after.
This time around, Valve has its sights set on one of its first-party titles. First things first, Custom Game Passes are simply a way to reward the creative makers of custom games on Dota 2, where the games will remain to be free to play.
What a Custom Game Pass provides users is a 30-day access to additional content and features. As for the revenue, it's split right in the middle between Valve and the creator.
"Custom Games Passes will be limited to a small number of high-quality games that have established themselves in the community. Purchasing a pass directly supports the creators of the custom game as well as granting you extra features for that game. All custom games will remain free to download and play," the Dota team says.
Now, the first Custom Game Pass to see the light of day is for Roshpit Champions, which is worth $1. According to the developers, players who purchase the pass will get eight additional character save slots, 18 extra stash slots, a gold kill counter to indicate that a player is a premium user. Players will also get 50 percent immortal drop rate increase plus a 10 percent experience boost. Also, the buff affects other party members and stacks with other passes.
It should be noted Valve isn't going to hand out Custom Game Pass eligibility willy-nilly, as the Dota team will curate and "carefully select" which custom games can start offering it. To boil things down, the decision is essentially in the hands of the players.
PC Gamer also got ahold of Valve to discuss the gaming company's plans. The most notable segment of the interview is about the possibility of creators implementing a pay-to-win scheme or aggressive monetization mechanics such as an energy-bar restriction, which have ruined a lot of other games.
"If we see custom game developers designing Custom Game Pass rewards that are hostile to custom game players, we will work with the developers to improve their design. If necessary, we will remove the custom game's right to sell Custom Game Passes," Valve says.
Valve also addresses the topic on the Custom Game Pass FAQ, saying that:
"[C]reators should focus on rewards that provide premium value to pass owners without harming the experience of users who have not chosen to purchase a pass."
In other words, put those pitchforks back in the barn.
In the event that a player isn't satisfied with the pass, Valve implemented a 48-hour refund system, making things a lot easier for everyone.
The Custom Game Pass on Dota 2 could prove to be a great venture for both developers and players alike, encouraging creators to continue striving for a high-quality custom game. In a sense, it sort of goes way back to the roots of the original Dota, as it did start out as a custom game in Warcraft 3.
