Humble Bundle alters terms of sale: Difference between revisions
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Added Sentinels of the Store coverage to Consumer Response - coverage has led to reports to the BBB and a signal boost to the story. |
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[[Humble Bundle]], a digital storefront offering activation keys for video games, altered their terms of service on December 24 2024 and retroactively enforced a 3 year expiration period for keys bought and not redeemed via their service. | [[Humble Bundle|'''Humble Bundle''']], a digital storefront offering activation keys for video games, altered their terms of service on December 24 2024 and retroactively enforced a 3 year expiration period for keys bought and not redeemed via their service. | ||
==Background== | ==Background== | ||
[[Humble Bundle]] is an online market place that started operations in 2010, initially offering collections of (mainly indie) game keys at a price determined by the buyer splitting the revenue with charities and the game developer.<ref name="ars"> | |||
{{cite web | {{cite web | ||
|first=Michael | |first=Michael | ||
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[[File:Humble-terms-before.png|Delivery of product section in TOS before Dec 2024|thumb|right]] | [[File:Humble-terms-before.png|Delivery of product section in TOS before Dec 2024|thumb|right]] | ||
[[File:Humble-terms-after.png|Delivery of product section in TOS after Dec 2024, highlighted additions|thumb|right]] | [[File:Humble-terms-after.png|Delivery of product section in TOS after Dec 2024, highlighted additions|thumb|right]] | ||
In December 2024, Humble Bundle modified their terms of service to include wording that allows them to remove unclaimed game keys from accounts after a period of 3 years | In December 2024, Humble Bundle modified their terms of service to include wording that allows them to remove unclaimed game keys from accounts after a period of 3 years, with no obligation to reimburse the buyer.<ref name="new-terms"> | ||
{{cite web | {{cite web | ||
|author=<!--not stated--> | |author=<!--not stated--> | ||
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|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250221111253/https://www.humblebundle.com/terms | |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250221111253/https://www.humblebundle.com/terms | ||
|archive-date=21 Feb 2025 | |archive-date=21 Feb 2025 | ||
}}</ref> | |||
<ref> | |||
{{cite web | |||
|last=Bari | |||
|first=Muhammad Ali | |||
|website=Twisted Voxel | |||
|title=Humble Bundle Unused/Unclaimed Game Codes Will Expire After 3 Years | |||
|date= 19 Feb 2025 | |||
|url=https://twistedvoxel.com/humble-bundle-unused-unclaimed-game-codes-will-expire-after-3-years/ | |||
|url-status=live | |||
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250220160113/https://twistedvoxel.com/humble-bundle-unused-unclaimed-game-codes-will-expire-after-3-years/ | |||
|archive-date=20 Feb 2025 | |||
|access-date= 4 Mar 2025 | |||
}}</ref> | }}</ref> | ||
This wording was not present in the previous revision of the terms <ref name="old-terms">{{cite web | This wording was not present in the previous revision of the terms <ref name="old-terms">{{cite web | ||
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|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241222082722/https://www.humblebundle.com/terms | |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241222082722/https://www.humblebundle.com/terms | ||
|archive-date=22 Dec 2024 | |archive-date=22 Dec 2024 | ||
}}</ref> but | }}</ref> but has reportedly been applied retroactively to all previous purchases on the platform.<ref name="reddit-1"> | ||
{{cite web | {{cite web | ||
|author=<!--not stated--> | |author=<!--not stated--> | ||
| Line 139: | Line 152: | ||
==Consumer response== | ==Consumer response== | ||
[[File:Expired-keys.png|thumb|right|Example of keys showing up as expired.]] | [[File:Expired-keys.png|thumb|right|Example of keys showing up as expired.]] | ||
As this change has been rolled out without much notice the users who have noticed their keys showing up as expired that also have unredeemed keys on their accounts have been trying to get answers from support without much reported success.<ref name="reddit-3" /><ref>https://www.steamgifts.com/discussion/I8vLk/do-we-have-victims-of-keys-no-longer-available-case-from-humble-bundle-here-not-stock</ref> Many have been criticizing the change as stressful and questioning its legality in the EU and Australia <ref name="reddit-1" />. | As this change has been rolled out without much notice the users who have noticed their keys showing up as expired that also have unredeemed keys on their accounts have been trying to get answers from support without much reported success.<ref name="reddit-3" /><ref>{{cite web | ||
|author=<!--not cited--> | |||
|date=Feb 2025 | |||
|title=Do we have victims of "keys no longer available" case from Humble Bundle here? (not stock) | |||
|website=Steam gifts | |||
|url=https://www.steamgifts.com/discussion/I8vLk/do-we-have-victims-of-keys-no-longer-available-case-from-humble-bundle-here-not-stock | |||
|url-status=live | |||
|access-date=4 Mar 2025 | |||
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250215052006/https://www.steamgifts.com/discussion/I8vLk/do-we-have-victims-of-keys-no-longer-available-case-from-humble-bundle-here-not-stock | |||
|archive-date=15 Feb 2025 | |||
}}</ref> Many have been criticizing the change as stressful and questioning its legality in the EU and Australia <ref name="reddit-1" />. | |||
On March 27th 2025, the Steam consumer advocacy community group Sentinels of the Store covered the story, which contributed to the story being amplified to a broader community and being shared on Reddit and SteamGifts. Commenters also responded claiming to have started to make reports to the Better Business Bureau against Humble's parent company, J2 Global.<ref>{{Cite web |last=SirViolentDeath |first= |date=27 Mar 2025 |title=Steaming Mad About Humble Bundle's Exhausted Keys |url=https://steamcommunity.com/groups/Sentinels_of_the_Store/announcements/detail/543353138838503631 |url-status=live |access-date=27 Mar 2025 |website=Sentinels of the Store}}</ref> | |||
==See Also== | ==See Also== | ||
| Line 147: | Line 172: | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
<!--The gamasutra links are now gamedeveloper links eg: https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/humble-s-indie-game-publishing-biz-is-now-humble-games --> | <!--The gamasutra links are now gamedeveloper links eg: https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/humble-s-indie-game-publishing-biz-is-now-humble-games --> | ||
<references /> | |||
[[Category:Humble Bundle]] | [[Category:Humble Bundle]] | ||
[[Category:Incidents]] | [[Category:Incidents]] | ||