Does Steam allow NFT games?

Simon · Chief Gaming Officer
Covering blockchain games since 2022

No, Steam does not allow NFT games. Valve’s publishing rules list “Applications built on blockchain technology that issue or allow exchange of cryptocurrencies or NFTs” among the things developers shouldn’t publish. You can still find games with an NFT side on Steam, but the Steam version leaves that side out.

Why Steam banned NFT games

The rule dates from October 2021 and still sits on Valve’s Steamworks onboarding page. Valve framed it as an extension of its existing policy against games that offer in-game items with real-world value. It covers games that issue crypto or NFTs as well as games that let players exchange them.

Why you still see NFT games on Steam

The ban applies to what the app does, so studios can publish a version without the blockchain parts. Two big MMORPGs show how that works.

Legend of YMIR runs a separate Steam region. Wemade’s own notice says blockchain features won’t be supported there, the WEMIX trade station is unavailable, and Steam players don’t mix with the global version. Its economy runs on Diamonds, an ordinary in-game currency.

MIR4 is the other well-known case. The game is on Steam with a large player base, but its DRACO token features need a login through Google, Apple or Facebook, so a Steam account is not enough.

The lesson for you as a player is simple. A Steam page tells you little about a game’s blockchain side, and the Steam build may differ from the web or mobile version. Check what the Steam version includes before you assume your items or tokens work there.

Where NFT games are allowed

The Epic Games Store takes the opposite approach. Tim Sweeney said Epic would welcome blockchain games if they follow the relevant laws, disclose their terms and carry an age rating. Epic’s later guidelines add limits, such as no links to crypto marketplaces from store pages and no availability in China or South Korea (per 2024 reporting). In our own library, 14 of the games we track list Epic as a platform, including RavenQuest, Wild Forest and Aurory.

Google Play allows NFTs inside a game when players use them to improve the experience or advance in the game. It does not allow apps to promote possible earnings from playing or trading, or to sell NFTs of unknown value for a chance at something better. Many NFT games also skip the stores and offer a launcher on their own site.

How to find NFT games if you play on Steam

If Steam is your main library, you have two routes. Play the Steam version as a regular game and ignore the blockchain side, or install the game from its official website or the Epic Games Store when you want the tradable items. The quick facts on each page in our NFT games library show which platforms a game runs on, so start there.