No Players Online In Steam Restored After DMCA Notice From Former Associate

No Players Online in Steam has reappeared after a three-week removal that disrupted its launch window and left its developers questioning their financial outlook. Beeswax Games restored the title to Valve’s platform after Steam’s DMCA process cleared a claim the studio describes as baseless.

The first-person horror project began as a short release in 2019 and drew attention for its use of a fictional ’90s PC environment layered with hidden story elements. Its full version arrived on Steam in early November. Soon after, players noticed the game had vanished from the store. Beeswax initially signaled confusion and said it was working to understand the issue.

The studio later confirmed that a former friend had submitted a notice asserting co-authorship. The claim led to the game’s immediate removal, despite the studio’s insistence that the individual had no role in the work. The team, which includes original creators Adam Pype, Tibau Van den Broeck, and Viktor Kraussays, said it responded with a counter-notice as soon as it learned the source of the takedown.

A statement on the studio’s website said the claimant filed the request without warning, prompting Steam to disable the game less than two weeks after release. Beeswax emphasized that every part of the project was built internally and that it had attempted to clarify the matter before the takedown was submitted.

The studio waited through the standard response period. Once that window expired without further action from the claimant, Steam reinstated the game. Beeswax said the impact on its business has been substantial. The full release followed two and a half years of development financed on narrow margins. The interruption cut into the early sales period that smaller teams depend on for momentum and stability.

In its statement, Beeswax acknowledged the emotional strain inside the team.

“It’s crazy to me that someone can just take down our game by filling out a simple form,” the studio wrote. “It’s been tough trying to reconcile with this betrayal from someone I considered a dear friend.” — Beeswax Games

The team noted the broader challenge of DMCA misuse in the industry, a system designed for copyright enforcement but vulnerable to malicious or mistaken claims. Past incidents include the temporary delisting of Workers & Resources in 2023 and legal action from Bungie in 2022 against a YouTuber accused of filing false notices.

Beeswax said it intends to continue supporting No Players Online despite uncertainty around the studio’s long-term viability. The return to Steam restores its primary sales channel, but the team indicated that the setback arrived at a critical point and may prove difficult to absorb.

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