- Primary Subject: just volleyball
- Key Update: The Steam launch for just volleyball has been delayed due to store review rejections, but a second demo is currently playable.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: November 12, 2026
- Quick Answer: The official release of just volleyball is currently delayed due to the Steam review process, but a free demo is available to play right now.
The highly anticipated launch of just volleyball has hit a snag. Originally slated to hit Steam on November 4th, the promising arcade-style action volleyball title by solo developer temkosoft has officially been delayed twice!
While the game itself is functionally ready to go, Steam’s red tape has forced the developer into a frustrating situation.
But for eager fans and players, this temporary problem comes with a massive silver lining: an extended, free-to-play demo period that is live right now until November 15th.
Instead of leaving the community empty-handed while waiting on Steam approval, the developer has reopened the game’s demo. This is essentially a temporary free-to-play version of the full game (which is the same as the first demo).
The First Touch
Developing an indie game is a monumental task, but publishing it introduces an entirely different set of hurdles.
According to a news update from the developer temkosoft, the initial build was submitted for final review on October 16th. Ten days later, on October 26th, the build was rejected for three specific reasons.
First, a specific menu lacked proper controller support. To bypass this entirely, the developer was advised by Steam to simply disable controller support from the game's store page, a straightforward fix.
Second, the game required an online agreement, meaning an End User License Agreement (EULA) needed to be explicitly set up on the store and install pages.
Finally, the content survey was deemed inaccurate because it missed a specific option indicating "Filtered Text chat only."
These are standard procedural checks. temkosoft dutifully addressed all three points, resubmitted the game on the very same day, and expected the process to move swiftly toward the November finish line.
The Spike
Unfortunately, the process did not move swiftly. It wasn't until November 9th, a full two weeks later, that the developer finally heard back. The result was a second rejection.
The reason given was that the game was flagged for not being fully playable with a Steam controller. This decision completely blindsided temkosoft.
Having explicitly disabled controller support based on Steam's prior advice, they assumed that particular issue was settled.
However, a single tick box leaving a legacy Steam input configuration active from prior testing triggered a total failure of the build.
It was a technicality that took less than two minutes to fix, but because it was not highlighted during the first review pass, it sent the build straight back to the back of the line.
This scenario exposes a significant flaw in the review process for solo developers.
Instead of receiving a comprehensive list of every issue that needs fixing, developers often find themselves fixing one batch of problems only to have a completely new, unrelated issue spring up in a subsequent review.
When a typical review queue takes 3 to 7 business days, these staggered rejections are manageable. But with current review queues stretching to 10 or even 14 days (as Steam is being overwhelmed by a flood of games using generative AI), a simple oversight turns into a catastrophic release delay.
temkosoft expressed frustration at this development, noting that they had trusted the process would thoroughly review the game the first time around.
Steamworks, as many developers before have noted, remains a deeply confusing ecosystem to navigate, especially for a solo indie developer.
The Court Reopens for a Limited Time
With plans for a November launch completely derailed, the creator made a pivot. Acknowledging their own exhaustion and the community's disappointment, they made the decision to reopen the demo.
This “encore demo” is live right now and will “most likely” remain open until November 15th at 12:00 PM EST, per the developer’s own words. temkosoft describes the demo as “literally just the game”.
Given the incredibly stressful circumstances of the entire process, providing access as a “free-to-play period” was the best they could do for now.
The current demo includes all the additional tweaks and changes made since October. As another silver lining, it gives temkosoft some “time to look into more features to implement in the final game” as well as getting more player feedback.
What Comes Next for just volleyball
So, when will just volleyball finally see its official 1.0 release? Right now, there is no hard date.
The build is back in the Steam review queue. While the Steam guidelines for the review process take anywhere from 3 to 7 business days, temkosoft realistically expects 10 days or more before any official decisions can be made.
If the review clears smoothly this time, a new release date will be announced. If not, the wait continues.
For now, the best way to show support for the game is to simply play it. Jump into a match, test the mechanics, and enjoy the unexpected free-to-play window.
just volleyball might not have hit its target release date, but it is currently serving up plenty of fun for anyone willing to step up to the net.
Click here for the official developer announcement.
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