What is a Season Pass?

A Season Pass is a pack of current and future content (DLC) that customers can buy with a single purchase. All of the DLC included in a Season Pass and each DLC's release timing will be displayed on the Season Pass store page. As content is released, customers who have purchased the Season Pass will gain access immediately.

By offering a Season Pass, you are promising future content. In the process of launching a Season Pass you will be asked to commit to a launch timing for each content release in the Season Pass. That launch timing is a commitment to both customers and Steam.

If you aren't ready to clearly communicate about the content included in each DLC AND when each DLC will be ready for launch, you shouldn't offer a Season Pass on Steam.

Selling a Season Pass has risks; since you are promising the release of future content, you have to commit to completing that content on time. If customers don't like the content you're releasing in the Season Pass or the timing of that content release, that will be reflected in sales and reviews.

Important Considerations

NOTE: All content added to a Season Pass must pay to the same partner.

Season Pass Guidelines

When a Season Pass is made available for purchase on Steam, it must include the following information:

• A complete list of all DLC included in the Pass. (e.g. listing each of the four DLCs included in a Pass).
  
• A basic description of the content that’s included in each DLC. For example, the first content release might be “The Glitterlands Expansion – New area to explore, two new weapons, and new enemies.” It’s not required for the DLC to have a final name at the launch of the Season Pass. The information about the content in the DLC doesn’t need to be detailed (simply “new weapons” or “two new weapons” is acceptable, they don’t have to list the exact weapons).
  
• Expected release date for each DLC. Quarter and Year (e.g. January to March 2025) or Season/Year is acceptable. Of course, a date that’s more precise is also fine (e.g. June, 2025 or June 1st, 2025).

A Season Pass must include at least one released DLC when it is made available for purchase*
*with the exception of Season Passes included in a Pre-Purchase of a deluxe edition.

Delaying or cancelling a DLC in a Season Pass

We understand that game development doesn't always go as planned. If you think you aren't going to be able to release a DLC into the Season Pass by the quarter you promised, we allow you to self-reschedule the release date one time only during the Season Pass. You can pick a new date up to 3 months later than you originally selected. If for some reason you need to delay more than that, please reach out to us directly.

If you cancel a DLC in a Season Pass, customers will be offered a refund for the value of unreleased DLC.

Including a Season Pass in a Pre-Purchase

You may include a Season Pass as part of a game's pre-purchase. If you'd like to include a Season Pass as part of a pre-purchase of an edition of a game, you'll still need to set up a Season Pass DLC as usual. However, as part of setting up a pre-purchase, you'll need to contact Steam to set the Season Pass DLC into pre-purchase mode.

When a Season Pass DLC is in pre-purchase mode, you are not required to release at least one DLC in the Season Pass at the time it goes on sale (as you are usually required to do when you launch a Season Pass). However, when the game launches, you will need to release the Season Pass out of pre-purchase--this will entail releasing at least one of the DLCs included in the Season Pass.

Including a Season Pass in a Deluxe/Premium Edition of Your Game

You can include a Season Pass in a Deluxe or other premium edition of your game.

To do this, you'll need to create the Season Pass DLC using the same steps outlined in this documentation page. Once it has been created, you can add the Season Pass DLC app to the Deluxe package.

You must ALSO add all of the individual DLCs contained in the Season Pass as they are released.

This is very important, because if you don't add the individual DLCs to the package (in addition to the Season Pass) customers won't gain access to the DLCs they purchased in this Deluxe edition when they are released.

Season Pass Setup

Creating a Season Pass is a little more complicated than setting up a regular DLC, and extra steps are involved in its creation.

1. Create a new DLC App ID - Create a new DLC for your game.
   
   
2. Enable Season Pass on DLC - On your App Landing Page for the DLC that you want to convert into a Season Pass, click on "Enable Season Pass on DLC". Alternatively, this step may have been done for you. When a DLC is converted to a Season Pass, additional steps are added to the pre-release checklist to ensure that the Season Pass is ready for launch.
   
   Any DLC apps that you want available and playable in the Season Pass at the time it releases (aka “Day 1” DLC) should be added to the Season Pass’s package during set up. Please be aware that at least one DLC must launch with the Season Pass, with the exception of Season Passes offered as part of deluxe editions in pre-purchase.
   
   Future DLC apps can be added to the Season Pass’s package later (see below). IMPORTANT: In some cases you may be prevented from adding DLC to a Season Pass package. If that happens, please reach out to Steam Support for assistance.
   
   
3. Edit and detail your Season Pass – Navigate to the App Landing Page for your Season Pass DLC and click on Edit Store Page. From there, navigate to the DLC Description tab, where you will find a section at the top of the page called Season Pass Roadmap Description.
   
   
   
   Here, you can hit the Create New Content Release button to set up a new content release for your game.
   
   
   
   In the Content Release Title (Public) field, you'll enter the public name for your DLC content. This is the public-facing name for your DLC. For example, "The Glitterlands Expansion". This doesn’t have to be a full product reveal for each piece of DLC – it’s fine if the full reveal comes later – but your Roadmap should give customers a good sense of the scope and timeline of all the content they’re purchasing via the Season Pass.
   
   In the Content Release Description (Public), you should enter a text description of the DLC. You can also add supporting images. This information is public and customer-facing, so think about this as an opportunity to get customers interested in the content. If your description doesn't include information on what is included in the DLC, or lacks sufficient detail, your Season Pass release may be rejected and you'll have an opportunity to address it.
   
   Please remember to localize your description into the languages you support.
   
   Next, you'll select the Intended Release Date for this content. This date is used to set reminders on your internal Steamworks dashboard. Please use your local time zone.
   
   In the Publicly Shown Release Date section, you choose the release date that customers will see for this piece of content. You can select an exact date, or release month, or present it as a release window (for example, January 1st to March 30th).
   
   When you are ready, click "Create".
   
   
   
   Now, you should see the new content release on your Roadmap. You'll also see an option to "Mark as Released". See the section below for more information on this step.
   
   
4. Allow extra time for Store Page review - Store Page review can take up to 3-5 business days, but we recommend budgeting at least 7 days for a Season Pass store page review.
   
   
5. Launch content into your Season Pass – Once you have passed review, If your content release is a DLC, you can release it normally whenever you are ready. The same applies to content releases that are in-game updates; you can update your game with the content at any time.
   
   Once the new DLC has been released, you'll need to add the DLC app to the Season Pass package.
   
   Navigate to your Season Pass app landing page, and click on the store package for your Season Pass.
   
   
   
   Next, add the DLC to your Season Pass package by clicking + Add Applications.
   
   
   
   Search for the DLC application in the field provided*.
   *In some cases you may be prevented from adding DLC to a Season Pass package. If that happens, please reach out to Steam Support for assistance.
   
   
   IMPORTANT: Once you have released your Season Pass content (via DLC or in-game update), you need to return to your Season Pass Roadmap and click on Mark as Released.
   
   At this point, if you haven't already, you have the option to link your DLC app ID to the content release so that customers who are viewing your Season Pass can click on individual DLCs to view their store page.
   
   You will also need to indicate if your DLC was...
   
   
   • Released as an update to the base game (in which case you'll need to make sure you are checking for ownership of the Season Pass)
     
   • Released as a DLC with a store page (as a standard DLC launch with store presence)
     
   • Released as a hidden DLC without a store page. Please only select this option if you are sure. Releasing a DLC without a store page requires Valve help.
   
   Finally, you'll need to select the Steam Event announcing the release of this content.
   
   
6. Release all content until Season Pass is complete - Repeat these steps until your Season Pass is fully complete and you've shipped all of the content you promised customers who purchased your Season Pass. Congrats!

Options for a Season Pass After Completion

Once a Season Pass has been fulfilled and all promised content has been released, you should give some thought to how you want to offer the content to new customers going forward. You have several options:

1. Continue Offering the Season Pass. - In this case, the Season Pass will continue to be available, and new Season Pass customers will receive all included DLCs immediately upon purchase. No further action is required for this option; it happens by default.
   
2. Retire the Season Pass - If a Season Pass has been fulfilled and it's no longer relevant or strategically useful, the Season Pass can be retired. This removes the Season Pass as a purchase option from the Store, but otherwise doesn't affect existing ownership. If your DLC was unique to the retired Season Pass, it will no longer be available for new customers going forward, unless you choose to offer it some other way, for example as a standalone DLC purchase.
   
3. Convert the Season Pass to a Complete the Set Bundle - You could optionally retire the Season Pass as described above, and also repackage some or all of the content into a dynamic 'Complete the Set' bundle. In this set up, customers only pay for the items they don’t already own, making it ideal for players with partial content. You can create a Complete the Set bundle as outlined in the Bundle Documentation.

Valve assistance is required to retire a Season Pass as described in options 2 & 3 above—so please read Removing a Product from Steam and reach out via a ticket when you know your plans for each individual DLC contained in your Season Pass.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Should DLC content be exclusive to the Season Pass?
A. This is up to you. Content that’s included in your Season Pass can be exclusive to the Season Pass, or it can also be made available outside of the Season Pass as individual purchases. The Store supports either configuration. If you choose the latter, it’s a good idea to provide Season Pass holders with a built-in discount or incentive for buying all the content upfront via the Season Pass.

Q. What’s the difference between a Season Pass and a Battle Pass?
A. The terms "Battle Pass" and "Season Pass" are often used interchangeably, and the definitions even vary game to game. For the purposes of Steamworks documentation though, we wanted to clearly differentiate the two since they use different implementations on Steam. In a Battle Pass set up, all content is added to a specific DLC or Microtransaction at the start of a pre-defined gameplay season, and then Battle Pass holders can earn and unlock any or all of the content in the DLC through normal gameplay milestones, for example win 10, 20, 30 games... and so on. This may happen very quickly for highly engaged players or more slowly for more casual players, but the pace of unlock is controlled by the player's progress. In a Season Pass set up, you - the game maker - select when the content is released to customers (as described above), and that release is not based on gameplay milestones. There are even some hybrid models that combine aspects of both Season Passes and Battle Passes. All that said, it's okay if you want to name your Season Pass a "Battle Pass" or vice versa (or any other creative name); just be aware of the different definitions and implementations used by Steamworks documentation.

Q. Will my Season Pass update automatically after I release DLC or content?
A. No. You will need to return to your Season Pass DLC and update it to indicate your content has been released. Otherwise, your Season Pass won't be updated, and customers will think the promised content didn't release into the Season Pass.

Q. Can I provide advance access to DLCs to customers who have purchased a Season Pass?
A. Yes, you can. You'd accomplish this by releasing the DLCs without a store page (and no other way to purchase the DLCs that does not also provide Advanced Access).

Then, once the DLC is released without a store page, you'd need to go into the Season Pass DLC Season Pass Roadmap and indicate that the DLC has been released without a store page. Later, when the DLC is available for purchase, you should update this in the Season Pass Roadmap.

Note: You will need Valve's assistance to release a DLC without a store page. Please reach out to us directly.

Q. Can I release DLC in a Season Pass ahead of schedule?
A. Of course! You can release DLC in a Season Pass any time before your indicated release date or window. Please update your Season Pass Roadmap so that customers know the DLC has been released.