Steam: Difference between revisions
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|incidents_1_text=<!-- NOTICE: This is somewhat 'pro-Steam' for incidents intended to highlight things consumers should watch out for. If you feel the need, you may remove this incident. However, please don't replace it with the Wolfire Games class action (Valve won that case). It will take more work and citations to put a substantial incident here than some other services/companies. --> | |incidents_1_text=<!-- NOTICE: This is somewhat 'pro-Steam' for incidents intended to highlight things consumers should watch out for. If you feel the need, you may remove this incident. However, please don't replace it with the Wolfire Games class action (Valve won that case). It will take more work and citations to put a substantial incident here than some other services/companies. --> | ||
In September 2024, Steam implemented significant changes to its subscriber agreement that altered user rights and game ownership terms. Additionally, it removed [[Forced Arbitration|forced arbitration]] from the Steam Subscriber Agreement.<ref>Carpenter, Nicole (September 27, 2024). [https://www.polygon.com/explained/457557/valve-arbitration-steam-subscriber-agreements "Valve removes arbitration from its Steam agreements — here's what that means for you"]. ''Polygon''. Retrieved January 17, 2025.</ref><ref>Rossmann, Louis (September 27, 2024). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1f81qXxggo8 "Steam altered the terms of the sale; you'll be happy they altered it further!"] ''YouTube''. Retrieved January 17, 2025.</ref> Key changes included: | {{Main|Valve removes arbitration requirement from Steam Subscriber Agreement}} | ||
In September 2024, Steam implemented significant changes to its subscriber agreement that altered user rights and game-ownership terms. Additionally, it removed [[Forced Arbitration|forced arbitration]] from the Steam Subscriber Agreement.<ref>Carpenter, Nicole (September 27, 2024). [https://www.polygon.com/explained/457557/valve-arbitration-steam-subscriber-agreements "Valve removes arbitration from its Steam agreements — here's what that means for you"]. ''Polygon''. Retrieved January 17, 2025.</ref><ref>Rossmann, Louis (September 27, 2024). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1f81qXxggo8 "Steam altered the terms of the sale; you'll be happy they altered it further!"] ''YouTube''. Retrieved January 17, 2025.</ref> Key changes included: | |||
*Enhanced ability to terminate accounts for violations | *Enhanced ability to terminate accounts for violations | ||
*Additional data collection and sharing provisions | *Additional data collection and sharing provisions | ||
| Line 56: | Line 57: | ||
At the time of disclosure, Valve stated they had no evidence that the encrypted credit-card numbers or personally identifying information had been taken, nor was there evidence that the encryption on the credit-card numbers or passwords had been cracked. Nevertheless, they advised users to closely monitor their credit-card activity and statements as a precautionary measure. | At the time of disclosure, Valve stated they had no evidence that the encrypted credit-card numbers or personally identifying information had been taken, nor was there evidence that the encryption on the credit-card numbers or passwords had been cracked. Nevertheless, they advised users to closely monitor their credit-card activity and statements as a precautionary measure. | ||
|incidents_3_title=Antitrust ruling: Geo-blocking | |||
|incidents_3_date=Jan. 2021 | |||
|incidents_3_text=On January 20, 2021, the European Commission fined Valve, owner of Steam, €1.6 million for breaching EU antitrust rules by engaging in geo-blocking practices through Steam within the European Economic Area (‘EEA'). Five PC video game publishers have also been fined for engaging with Valve through Steam in geo-blocking practices by "requesting Valve to set up geographical restrictions and to provide geo-blocked Steam activation keys"(EU Commission, 2021). The fines for the publishers was reduced due to the cooperation of the five publishers with the Commision. Valve did not cooperate with the Commission.<ref>Antitrust: Commission fines Valve and five publishers of PC video games € 7.8 million for “geo-blocking” practices. (2021, Jan, 20). ec.europa.eu. Retrieved May 26, 2025, from https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_21_170</ref> | |||
}} | }} | ||
=== Modification to terms-of-service (Sep. 2024) === | |||
=== | <nowiki>:</nowiki>''Main article: [[Valve removes arbitration requirement from Steam Subscriber Agreement]]'' | ||
In September 2024, Steam implemented significant changes to its subscriber agreement that altered user rights and game-ownership terms. Additionally, it removed [[Forced Arbitration|forced arbitration]] from the Steam Subscriber Agreement. Key changes included: | |||
*Enhanced ability to terminate accounts for violations | *Enhanced ability to terminate accounts for violations | ||
*Additional data collection and sharing provisions | *Additional data collection and sharing provisions | ||
*Modified dispute resolution procedures | *Modified dispute resolution procedures | ||
=== Customer database hack (Oct. 2011) === | |||
In October 2011, Valve was forced to temporarily close the Steam Community forums following security-breach concerns. Days later, the company confirmed that hackers had compromised one of its customer databases. The compromised database contained user information, including encrypted credit-card numbers, billing addresses, purchase histories, email addresses, and encrypted passwords for Steam accounts. | |||
At the time of disclosure, Valve stated they had no evidence that the encrypted credit-card numbers or personally identifying information had been taken, nor was there evidence that the encryption on the credit-card numbers or passwords had been cracked. Nevertheless, they advised users to closely monitor their credit-card activity and statements as a precautionary measure. | At the time of disclosure, Valve stated they had no evidence that the encrypted credit-card numbers or personally identifying information had been taken, nor was there evidence that the encryption on the credit-card numbers or passwords had been cracked. Nevertheless, they advised users to closely monitor their credit-card activity and statements as a precautionary measure. | ||
< | === Antitrust ruling: Geo-blocking (Jan. 2021) === | ||
On January 20, 2021, the European Commission fined Valve, owner of Steam, €1.6 million for breaching EU antitrust rules by engaging in geo-blocking practices through Steam within the European Economic Area (‘EEA'). Five PC video game publishers have also been fined for engaging with Valve through Steam in geo-blocking practices by "requesting Valve to set up geographical restrictions and to provide geo-blocked Steam activation keys"(EU Commission, 2021). The fines for the publishers was reduced due to the cooperation of the five publishers with the Commision. Valve did not cooperate with the Commission. | |||
=== Valve allows ISPs and payment processors to censor content on Steam (Jul. 2025) === | |||
{{Main|Valve allows ISPs and payment processors to censor content on Steam}} | |||
In an update for Steam's Rules and Guidelines for developers,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Steamworks Documentation - Onboarding |url=https://partner.steamgames.com/doc/gettingstarted/onboarding |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250719092925/https://partner.steamgames.com/doc/gettingstarted/onboarding |archive-date=Jul 19, 2025 |access-date=Jul 19, 2025 |website=Steamworks Documentation}}</ref> a new rule was added within the section detailing what content can not be included on Steam:<blockquote>15. Content that may violate the rules and standards set forth by Steam’s payment processors and related card networks and banks, or internet network providers. In particular, certain kinds of adult only content.</blockquote>This addition was made with pressure coming from payment processors such as [[Visa]], [[Mastercard]], and [[PayPal]]. Most, if not all content taken down from the platform was adult in nature,<ref>{{Cite news |last=techopse |date=Jul 18, 2025 |title=Valve Submits to VISA and MasterCard’s Moral Crusade, Escalating Censorship of “Problematic” Games on Steam |url=https://www.techopse.com/valve-submits-to-visa-and-mastercards-moral-crusade-escalating-censorship-of-problematic-games-on-steam/ |access-date=Jul 19, 2025 |work=Techopse}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Bonk |first=Lawrence |date=Jul 16, 2025 |title=Steam now bans games that violate the 'rules and standards' of payment processors and banks |url=https://www.engadget.com/gaming/steam-now-bans-games-that-violate-the-rules-and-standards-of-payment-processors-and-banks-164222173.html |access-date=Jul 19, 2025 |work=Engadget}}</ref> however, allowing both payment processors and ISPs to judge whether or not content on the platform can be taken down puts consumer choice at risk. Reportedly, Japanese developers creating "adult-oriented" games in general have also been refused payment via their banks just after this rule change.<ref>{{Cite news |date=Jan 30, 2025 |title=Adult game devs in Japan can’t receive revenue from Steam as Japanese banks reportedly make the “comprehensive decision” to block transfers |url=https://peoplic.com/adult-game-devs-in-japan-cant-receive-revenue-from-steam-as-japanese-banks-reportedly-make-the-comprehensive-decision-to-block-transfers/ |access-date=Jul 19, 2025 |work=peoplic}}</ref> | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
{{reflist}} | |||
[[Category:Services]] | |||
[[Category:Valve Corporation]] | |||
Latest revision as of 10:50, 19 July 2025
| Basic Information | |
|---|---|
| Release Year | 2003 |
| Product Type | Video-game distribution platform |
| In Production | Yes |
| Official Website | https://store.steampowered.com |
Steam is a digital storefront and service for video-game distribution, operated by Valve Corporation. Launched in 2003, it has grown to become the largest digital-distribution platform for PC gaming, with over 130 million monthly active users as of 2024. The platform offers services for digital rights management (DRM), server hosting, video streaming, and social networking.[1]
Consumer impact[edit source]
Privacy[edit source]
- Collects extensive personal data including email, location, payment details, and device information[2]
- Records and stores all user communications through platform features[2]
- Keeps certain user data indefinitely for "gameplay consistency" even after account deletion[2]
- Tracks gaming behavior including preferences, progress, playtime, and device usage[2]
- Shares user data with game developers and third-party service providers[2]
- Makes user profile data publicly available through Steamworks API[2]
- Uses cookies and similar technologies for tracking across websites[2]
- Retains transaction data for up to 10 years after account closure[2]
Freedom[edit source]
- Users do not own purchased games, only receive limited licenses[3]
- Can terminate access to paid content at Valve's discretion[3]
- No right to transfer or resell purchased games[3]
- Imposes regional restrictions on game activation and playing[3]
- Can unilaterally modify terms with 30-day notice[3]
- Mandatory client updates required to access library[3]
- Users must accept all changes to maintain access to purchased content[3]
- No option to opt out of core data collection while using service[2]
Transparency[edit source]
- Provides clear refund policy for games (any game played less than 2 hours within 14 days)[3]
- It will mainly reference instances where the product prevents inspection or is intentionally confusing
- Maintains detailed system requirements information for all games[3]
- Offers comprehensive privacy policy in accessible language[2]
- Unclear processes for account termination and data removal[2]
- Limited transparency about content moderation decisions[3]
- Vague about specific data retention timeframes[2]
- No clear disclosure of recommendation algorithm factors[2]
Consumer-protection incidents[edit source]
Modification to terms-of-service (Sep. 2024)
:Main article: Valve removes arbitration requirement from Steam Subscriber Agreement
In September 2024, Steam implemented significant changes to its subscriber agreement that altered user rights and game-ownership terms. Additionally, it removed forced arbitration from the Steam Subscriber Agreement.[4][5] Key changes included:
- Enhanced ability to terminate accounts for violations
- Additional data collection and sharing provisions
- Modified dispute resolution procedures
Customer database hack (Oct. 2011)
In October 2011, Valve was forced to temporarily close the Steam Community forums following security-breach concerns. Days later, the company confirmed that hackers had compromised one of its customer databases. The compromised database contained user information, including encrypted credit-card numbers, billing addresses, purchase histories, email addresses, and encrypted passwords for Steam accounts.[6] At the time of disclosure, Valve stated they had no evidence that the encrypted credit-card numbers or personally identifying information had been taken, nor was there evidence that the encryption on the credit-card numbers or passwords had been cracked. Nevertheless, they advised users to closely monitor their credit-card activity and statements as a precautionary measure.
Antitrust ruling: Geo-blocking (Jan. 2021)
On January 20, 2021, the European Commission fined Valve, owner of Steam, €1.6 million for breaching EU antitrust rules by engaging in geo-blocking practices through Steam within the European Economic Area (‘EEA'). Five PC video game publishers have also been fined for engaging with Valve through Steam in geo-blocking practices by "requesting Valve to set up geographical restrictions and to provide geo-blocked Steam activation keys"(EU Commission, 2021). The fines for the publishers was reduced due to the cooperation of the five publishers with the Commision. Valve did not cooperate with the Commission.[7]
References[edit source]
- ↑ "At Valve we make games, Steam, and hardware." Valve Corporation. 2024. Retrieved January 17, 2025.
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 "Privacy Policy Agreement." Steam. February 14, 2024. Retrieved January 17, 2025.
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 "Steam Subscriber Agreement." Steam. September 26, 2024. Retrieved January 17, 2025.
- ↑ Carpenter, Nicole (September 27, 2024). "Valve removes arbitration from its Steam agreements — here's what that means for you". Polygon. Retrieved January 17, 2025.
- ↑ Rossmann, Louis (September 27, 2024). "Steam altered the terms of the sale; you'll be happy they altered it further!" YouTube. Retrieved January 17, 2025.
- ↑ Johnson, Casey (November 10, 2011). "Valve confirms Steam hack: credit cards, personal info may be stolen". Ars Technica. Retrieved January 17, 2025.
- ↑ Antitrust: Commission fines Valve and five publishers of PC video games € 7.8 million for “geo-blocking” practices. (2021, Jan, 20). ec.europa.eu. Retrieved May 26, 2025, from https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_21_170
Modification to terms-of-service (Sep. 2024)[edit | edit source]
:Main article: Valve removes arbitration requirement from Steam Subscriber Agreement
In September 2024, Steam implemented significant changes to its subscriber agreement that altered user rights and game-ownership terms. Additionally, it removed forced arbitration from the Steam Subscriber Agreement. Key changes included:
- Enhanced ability to terminate accounts for violations
- Additional data collection and sharing provisions
- Modified dispute resolution procedures
Customer database hack (Oct. 2011)[edit | edit source]
In October 2011, Valve was forced to temporarily close the Steam Community forums following security-breach concerns. Days later, the company confirmed that hackers had compromised one of its customer databases. The compromised database contained user information, including encrypted credit-card numbers, billing addresses, purchase histories, email addresses, and encrypted passwords for Steam accounts.
At the time of disclosure, Valve stated they had no evidence that the encrypted credit-card numbers or personally identifying information had been taken, nor was there evidence that the encryption on the credit-card numbers or passwords had been cracked. Nevertheless, they advised users to closely monitor their credit-card activity and statements as a precautionary measure.
Antitrust ruling: Geo-blocking (Jan. 2021)[edit | edit source]
On January 20, 2021, the European Commission fined Valve, owner of Steam, €1.6 million for breaching EU antitrust rules by engaging in geo-blocking practices through Steam within the European Economic Area (‘EEA'). Five PC video game publishers have also been fined for engaging with Valve through Steam in geo-blocking practices by "requesting Valve to set up geographical restrictions and to provide geo-blocked Steam activation keys"(EU Commission, 2021). The fines for the publishers was reduced due to the cooperation of the five publishers with the Commision. Valve did not cooperate with the Commission.
Valve allows ISPs and payment processors to censor content on Steam (Jul. 2025)[edit | edit source]
In an update for Steam's Rules and Guidelines for developers,[1] a new rule was added within the section detailing what content can not be included on Steam:
15. Content that may violate the rules and standards set forth by Steam’s payment processors and related card networks and banks, or internet network providers. In particular, certain kinds of adult only content.
This addition was made with pressure coming from payment processors such as Visa, Mastercard, and PayPal. Most, if not all content taken down from the platform was adult in nature,[2][3] however, allowing both payment processors and ISPs to judge whether or not content on the platform can be taken down puts consumer choice at risk. Reportedly, Japanese developers creating "adult-oriented" games in general have also been refused payment via their banks just after this rule change.[4]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ "Steamworks Documentation - Onboarding". Steamworks Documentation. Archived from the original on Jul 19, 2025. Retrieved Jul 19, 2025.
- ↑ techopse (Jul 18, 2025). "Valve Submits to VISA and MasterCard's Moral Crusade, Escalating Censorship of "Problematic" Games on Steam". Techopse. Retrieved Jul 19, 2025.
- ↑ Bonk, Lawrence (Jul 16, 2025). "Steam now bans games that violate the 'rules and standards' of payment processors and banks". Engadget. Retrieved Jul 19, 2025.
- ↑ "Adult game devs in Japan can't receive revenue from Steam as Japanese banks reportedly make the "comprehensive decision" to block transfers". peoplic. Jan 30, 2025. Retrieved Jul 19, 2025.