Valve has introduced a new Steam feature that allows mod authors to assign a modification to a specific version of a game. The company announced the change on Steam's official site, describing tools intended to make mod distribution and compatibility clearer as games evolve.
Under the new workflow, creators will be able to upload multiple variants of the same mod and explicitly indicate which game builds each variant supports. This should help players find the correct mod release for the version of a game they own and reduce mismatches that can lead to crashes or broken functionality.
To support the feature, Valve released updated Steam APIs and added configuration options for the Steam Workshop. These additions give game developers the ability to document prior game versions more precisely and enable mod authors to declare compatibility ranges for their works, making it easier to maintain mods across patches and major updates.
The company framed the changes as part of ongoing efforts to improve the ecosystem around modding and developer-mod collaboration. By formalizing version compatibility in the Workshop and through APIs, Valve aims to reduce friction for both creators and end users when games receive frequent updates.
Separately, it was reported that Steam set a new revenue record in December 2025, with total earnings reaching $1.6 billion over the period. During the interval from December 21 to January 4, the largest number of copies sold belonged to ARC Raiders, while Counter-Strike 2 generated the highest revenue overall.
Observers say the combination of clearer mod-versioning tools and continued strong platform sales could benefit both indie creators and larger studios, as better compatibility management makes community content more reliable and profitable over the long term.