When a developer sells a season pass DLC pack on Steam, they are selling you a bill of goods for future DLC. This is not exactly novel at this point, but the latest update to Steam guidance is actually taking aim at some of those season pass packs. Basically, the new guidelines make it clear that a developer cannot simply announce a season pass based on “we will probably have DLC and maybe it’s worth it” and then head for the hills if things don’t work out; studios have to have announced plans for DLC with scheduled dates.
And if DLC is cancelled? You have to refund players for the cancelled DLC. Period end.
This is, obviously, all good news for players; it pushes more of a burden on to developers and ensures that any purchased DLC is going to come out and at least hopefully be worthwhile, with some exceptions in place for “deluxe edition” pre-orders. Whether or not this will necessarily address some more egregious DLC sales or not remains to be seen, but it’s clear with this change that the ball is being placed firmly in the court of players.
