Steam and itch.io store page checklist for indie games
Updated
Store requirements change. The sizes below are the commonly published ones. Confirm them in Steamworks or on itch.io before you rely on them.
Your store page does most of the selling. Most players decide from your capsule image, the first line of your description, and the first few seconds of the trailer. This guide goes through a page in the order that matters. The store page readiness checker reads your image sizes in your browser, scores your page, and gives you a to-do list.
1. Store art
Art comes first because it is what people see before they see anything else. Steam asks for several capsule images, each used in a different place:
| Image | Size (pixels) | Where it appears |
|---|---|---|
| Header capsule | 460 x 215 | Your store page, search, and many lists |
| Small capsule | 231 x 87 | Search results and carts |
| Main capsule | 616 x 353 | Featured spots on the store front |
| Vertical capsule | 374 x 448 | Some store lists and sales |
| Library capsule | 600 x 900 | Box-art style image in each player's library |
| Library hero | 3840 x 1240 | Wide banner on your game's library page |
| Page background (optional) | 1438 x 810 | Behind your store page |
You also need screenshots at 1920 x 1080 or larger, in a 16:9 shape. Show real gameplay, not only art. Steam asks for a minimum number of full-size screenshots, so check the current count, and aim for at least five good ones.
A test that works every time: shrink each capsule to thumbnail size. If you cannot read the game's name, players will not either. Keep the small capsule to the logo and key art only.
On itch.io, the cover image is your thumbnail on browse pages, search, and feeds. The recommended size is 630 x 500, with a minimum of 315 x 250. In the theme editor you can also set a banner, a background, and an embed background for web games. Put the game's title in the banner, keep it readable, and look at how it crops on a phone.
2. The short description
On Steam the short description is limited to 300 characters. It shows in search and when someone hovers over your game, so it often decides whether anyone clicks. Say the genre, the hook, and what the player does. "A cozy farming game where your crops fight back" tells a player more than "An epic adventure". Keep the first sentence doing most of the work.
3. The long description
Break it up. Use a short feature list with the strongest points first, and put screenshots or GIFs between sections instead of leaving a wall of text. Have someone who did not write it proofread everything. Typos on a store page hurt trust faster than almost anything else.
Fill in system requirements, minimum and recommended. Missing requirements lead to refunds and bad reviews. List supported languages honestly: do not claim a language you have not shipped.
4. Tags and genres
Tags decide which players see your game. Choose at least five accurate ones. Misleading tags can bring in the wrong audience, and the wrong audience writes bad reviews. Look at similar games that are doing well and see which tags they use.
5. The trailer
- Show real gameplay in the first 10 to 15 seconds. Players skip long logo intros.
- Keep it short, roughly one to two minutes, and end on a clear call to action: the name, the platform, the release date, or "Wishlist now".
- Make it work with the sound off, with captions or on-screen text. Many people watch without sound.
- Export at 1080p or higher, with no placeholder art. Check the current video requirements in Steamworks.
6. Wishlists and the Coming soon page
On Steam, wishlists are how people follow a game before it launches. Your "Coming soon" page has to be reviewed and public for a minimum time before you release. Check the current rule in Steamworks, and publish as early as you can so you have time to collect wishlists.
Put a clear "Wishlist" or "Follow" call in your trailer's end card, on your website, and in social posts, and link straight to the store page. Set a release date or window if you can, since a vague "TBA" is easy to forget. Links to your Discord, social accounts, or devlog give interested players somewhere to stay in touch, and a mailing list is a channel you own whatever happens to a platform.
7. Ratings and disclosures
Answer the content and age-rating questionnaires honestly and keep them in step with the game. Platforms use them to decide who can see and buy it. Steam also asks developers to describe AI-generated content, so read the current rules before you submit. If the game collects any data, link a privacy policy, and see the COPPA and GDPR guide and the age ratings guide.
Make sure you have the rights to all the art, music, fonts, and code you ship, and keep the licenses. A takedown near launch is painful.
8. itch.io page setup
- Upload a build for every platform you list, then download each one fresh and test it. Tick the right platform tags and mark the right file as the main download.
- Set your pricing the way you want (free, paid, or name your own price) and check your payout settings before you launch a paid page.
- If it is a web game, test the embedded version in a few browsers and on a phone.
- Publish a first devlog post. Devlogs show up in followers' feeds and keep the page looking active.
Theme colors and readability
The itch.io theme editor lets you set colors, fonts, layout, and images. The most common problem on themed pages is low-contrast text. Aim for a contrast ratio of at least 4.5 to 1 for text on both background colors, and make links stand out from the background so your download buttons look clickable. The checker calculates the ratio when you enter your colors. When you finish, save the theme and preview the page logged out, on desktop and on a phone, because your own browser can look different from what visitors see.
A simple order of work
- Capsule art and screenshots.
- Short description and tags.
- Trailer.
- Long description, requirements, and languages.
- Questionnaires, privacy policy, and disclosures.
- Publish the Coming soon page and start collecting wishlists.
Run the readiness checker at each step. It marks what is done and ranks what is left by how much it matters.