Bottom line: It's been a few years since Valve got rid of one of the most polarizing elements from its regular Steam Sales: Flash Sales. But a report from a reliable source claims they will soon return.

It used to be that in addition to the standard discounts available on games during Steam's big annual sales, there were regular flash sales that dropped the prices even further, for a limited time. Some users appreciated the deeper discounts on offer, but many hated the way they were so easy to miss. There was no indication when flash sales would take place, so catching them meant constantly checking Steam.

For the Steam Summer Sale of 2016, Valve decided to do away with daily and flash sales. And while the move dropped the average game discount down to 50---it was 66.67 the previous year---people were still happy to spend their money. The event brought in 40 percent more cash ($223.2 million) than the 2015 Summer Sale.

Now, Valve News Network's Tyler McVicker says the flash sales are returning. This time, developers will be able to choose how long they want each game's flash sale to last: 6, 8, 10, or 12 hours, meaning Steam's front page will likely be updated every hour, making things interesting/annoying for those looking to grab a bargain.

We've not heard any official confirmation from Valve, but McVicker's information has regularly proved accurate in the past. Judging from Valve's apparent reluctance to reveal its plans to the public, we could be waiting until the next Steam sale to find out whether the news is accurate.