Steam update just DESTROYED indie devs?!

Steam has updated its store homepage, changing how the 'Popular Upcoming' section works. Previously, indie developers could gain significant visibility by reaching 7,000 wishlists before launch. The updated algorithm now heavily weights games with far more wishlists — the smallest games currently appearing in that section have around 80,000 wishlists — effectively pricing out most indie developers. The change may benefit AAA and AA studios while hurting mid-tier indie developers who relied on that visibility boost. Steam has introduced a personalized calendar feature as a partial replacement, offering targeted recommendations based on player history, and updated the Discovery Queue. Whether these alternatives will compensate for the lost mass-market exposure remains to be seen. Standard indie marketing practices (demos, Next Fest, social media, newsletters) remain unchanged; only the final visibility boost at the end of the marketing cycle has shifted.