Valve under investigation for anti-consumer practices

[The•Siscus]

*****UPDATE******
After a brief research (and to better clarify the situation), I posted below the official press release (language aviable - EN; FR; DE):

http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-19-2010_en.htm

A few interesting extracts:

"The Commission's preliminary view is that Valve and the five PC video game publishers entered into bilateral agreements to prevent consumers from purchasing and using PC video games acquired elsewhere than in their country of residence (so-called “geo-blocking”). This is against EU antitrust rules."

"Valve and the five PC video game publishers agreed, in breach of EU antitrust rules, to use geo-blocked activation keys to prevent cross-border sales, including in response to unsolicited consumer requests (so-called “passive sales”) of PC video games from several Member States (i.e. Czechia, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, and in some cases Romania). This may have prevented consumers from buying cheaper games available in other Member States."

"Bandai Namco, Focus Home, Koch Media and ZeniMax, broke EU antitrust rules by including contractual export restrictions in their agreements with a number of distributors other than Valve. These distributors were prevented from selling the relevant PC video games outside the allocated territories, which could cover one or more Member States. These practices may have prevented consumers from purchasing and playing PC video games sold by these distributors either on physical media, such as DVDs or through downloads."


OTHER ARTICLES FROM DIFFERENT SITES:

https://variety.com/2019/gaming/news/european-commission-valve-geo-blocking-1203181860/

"The commission believes the companies in question prevented European Union consumers from buying and activating digital games outside their countries of residence, which is a breach of EU antitrust rules."

https://www.theverge.com/2019/4/5/18296527/european-commission-valve-antitrust-objections-games-price

https://daysnews.net/technology/european-commission-preliminary-investigation-finds-valve-breach-anti-trust-laws-geoblocking-28062842



What do you guys think?
A pacific discussion without insults is welcomed.

[Count_Dandyman]

Find a single key being sold by Valve to back your claims with before trying to insist they are in the wrong here.

[Snapjak]

It's not on Valve since they don't restrict a game's sales, the dev/publisher do. While a good investigation, it's directed (in the case of Steam) at the wrong target(s) imo.

[The•Siscus]

Count_Dandyman eredeti hozzászólása:

to back your claims with before trying to insist they are in the wrong here.

Chill down man, I claim nothing here, as you can see by yourself in the extract reported above. Just opinions to better highlight the situation.

[cSg|mc-Hotsauce]

This again?

About 2 years after the fact?

1st reported in 2017 with many threads you could have posted in.

[Zekiran]

3% of games sold on Steam, and it's not even their call whether those games are sold to those countries, it is, as stated above, the developer's deals.

Wow this is stupid.

[WolfEisberg]

cSg|mc-Hotsauce eredeti hozzászólása:

This again?

About 2 years after the fact?

1st reported in 2017 with many threads you could have posted in.

:qr:

He posted articles for new recent developments, because it isn't over. Thread necroing shouldn't be desirable.


I think the EU citizens should fear that all of this can lead to Valve and other every digital store not being allowed to have regional locks for when buying games on the store with in the EU, that someone in Germany could buy a game on Steam, GoG, Epic, ect, at the Polish price on Steam and if that becomes a reality, expect prices to be the same across all of the EU, and no doubt it will be the higher price.

[cSg|mc-Hotsauce]

Eisberg eredeti hozzászólása:

cSg|mc-Hotsauce eredeti hozzászólása:

This again?

About 2 years after the fact?

1st reported in 2017 with many threads you could have posted in.

He posted articles for new recent developments, because it isn't over. Thread necroing shouldn't be desirable.

Relevant updated articles is allowed and should be done instead.

[AmsterdamHeavy]

One more good thing the EU brings you, eh?

[Start_Running]

Eisberg eredeti hozzászólása:

cSg|mc-Hotsauce eredeti hozzászólása:

This again?

About 2 years after the fact?

1st reported in 2017 with many threads you could have posted in.

:qr:

He posted articles for new recent developments, because it isn't over. Thread necroing shouldn't be desirable.


I think the EU citizens should fear that all of this can lead to Valve and other every digital store not being allowed to have regional locks for when buying games on the store with in the EU, that someone in Germany could buy a game on Steam, GoG, Epic, ect, at the Polish price on Steam and if that becomes a reality, expect prices to be the same across all of the EU, and no doubt it will be the higher price.

Pretty much...Oh it won't be the maximum price but what you'll find is a small percentage (those from the wealthier nations paying a little less while those from the poorer nations will pay alot more.

[The•Siscus]

AmsterdamHeavy eredeti hozzászólása:

One more good thing the EU brings you, eh?

Please be constructive and do not spam or insult anyone.

Anyway, the investigation is internal the EU (so it doesn't affect the USA) and concern the fact that Valve (at least as the commissary claims), with 5 other publishers, may have tampered the anti-trust's rules that we share (as nations) for the use of the common (and free border) market. It's an economic matter.

[The•Siscus]

Start_Running eredeti hozzászólása:

Eisberg eredeti hozzászólása:

He posted articles for new recent developments, because it isn't over. Thread necroing shouldn't be desirable.


I think the EU citizens should fear that all of this can lead to Valve and other every digital store not being allowed to have regional locks for when buying games on the store with in the EU, that someone in Germany could buy a game on Steam, GoG, Epic, ect, at the Polish price on Steam and if that becomes a reality, expect prices to be the same across all of the EU, and no doubt it will be the higher price.

Pretty much...Oh it won't be the maximum price but what you'll find is a small percentage (those from the wealthier nations paying a little less while those from the poorer nations will pay alot more.

Eisberg eredeti hozzászólása:

cSg|mc-Hotsauce eredeti hozzászólása:

This again?

About 2 years after the fact?

1st reported in 2017 with many threads you could have posted in.

:qr:

He posted articles for new recent developments, because it isn't over. Thread necroing shouldn't be desirable.


I think the EU citizens should fear that all of this can lead to Valve and other every digital store not being allowed to have regional locks for when buying games on the store with in the EU, that someone in Germany could buy a game on Steam, GoG, Epic, ect, at the Polish price on Steam and if that becomes a reality, expect prices to be the same across all of the EU, and no doubt it will be the higher price.

Thank you guys for your replies and your concerns.
But I have a question for this specific case: could we expect an auto-regulation of the market?
I mean, If the price increased, the games' demand in the "poorer" countries would decrease as well, and this could consequentially lead to price drop in the future to meet the demands (of course it's just an hypotesis)

[AmsterdamHeavy]

≈The•Siscus≈ eredeti hozzászólása:

AmsterdamHeavy eredeti hozzászólása:

One more good thing the EU brings you, eh?

Please be constructive and do not spam or insult anyone.

Anyway, the investigation is internal the EU (so it doesn't affect the USA) and concern the fact that Valve (at least as the commissary claims), with 5 other publishers, may have tampered the anti-trust's rules that we share (as nations) for the use of the common (and free border) market. It's an economic matter.

Thats an observation, not "spam" or an "insult". You know this. You are dangerously close to dishonesty.

As other have already stated; this "gift" of the EU will result in HIGHER prices for a good chunk of Europe as far as I can tell.

Regional pricing generally exists for a reason: weak economies and to curtail piracy.

Valve isnt going to lower all prices on the EU store to Eastern Europe prices, so that means they will go up for everyone in those regions, if this even applies as "keys" specifically are mentioned and Valve doesnt do keys or region locking for their games.

It was much easier to type the first post, than to explain the obvious. Governments do not belong involved in any way in the pricing of consumer goods.

[Start_Running]

AmsterdamHeavy eredeti hozzászólása:

≈The•Siscus≈ eredeti hozzászólása:

Please be constructive and do not spam or insult anyone.

Anyway, the investigation is internal the EU (so it doesn't affect the USA) and concern the fact that Valve (at least as the commissary claims), with 5 other publishers, may have tampered the anti-trust's rules that we share (as nations) for the use of the common (and free border) market. It's an economic matter.

Thats an observation, not "spam" or an "insult". You know this. You are dangerously close to dishonesty.

As other have already stated; this "gift" of the EU will result in HIGHER prices for a good chunk of Europe as far as I can tell.

Regional pricing generally exists for a reason: weak economies and to curtail piracy

The Big Mac Index as ridiculous as it sounds is a very real thing companies consider when doing regional pricing.

It was much easier to type the first post, than to explain the obvious. Governments do not belong involved in any way in the pricing of consumer goods.

In some casesbthey can be a force for good. But in other cases they can can screw things faster than a two ♥♥♥♥♥♥ sailor after a 1 year voyage

[WolfEisberg]

≈The•Siscus≈ eredeti hozzászólása:

Start_Running eredeti hozzászólása:

Pretty much...Oh it won't be the maximum price but what you'll find is a small percentage (those from the wealthier nations paying a little less while those from the poorer nations will pay alot more.

Eisberg eredeti hozzászólása:

He posted articles for new recent developments, because it isn't over. Thread necroing shouldn't be desirable.


I think the EU citizens should fear that all of this can lead to Valve and other every digital store not being allowed to have regional locks for when buying games on the store with in the EU, that someone in Germany could buy a game on Steam, GoG, Epic, ect, at the Polish price on Steam and if that becomes a reality, expect prices to be the same across all of the EU, and no doubt it will be the higher price.

Thank you guys for your replies and your concerns.
But I have a question for this specific case: could we expect an auto-regulation of the market?
I mean, If the price increased, the games' demand in the "poorer" countries would decrease as well, and this could consequentially lead to price drop in the future to meet the demands (of course it's just an hypotesis)

The poorer countries with in the EU also tend to be not be very high in sales volume. So my guess is the industry would rather lose what ever volume in those poorer countries, than to have their much much bigger volume countries buying games at a much lower price.

[The•Siscus]

AmsterdamHeavy eredeti hozzászólása:

Thats an observation, not "spam" or an "insult". You know this. You are dangerously close to dishonesty.

As other have already stated; this "gift" of the EU will result in HIGHER prices for a good chunk of Europe as far as I can tell.

Regional pricing generally exists for a reason: weak economies and to curtail piracy.

It was much easier to type the first post, than to explain the obvious. Governments do not belong involved in any way in the pricing of consumer goods.

Thank you for your constructive reply, I appreciate it and I respect your point, no need to be hostile.
A few matter I would like to point out (at least from my perspective)

AmsterdamHeavy eredeti hozzászólása:

Regional pricing generally exists for a reason: weak economies and to curtail piracy.

Which is correct and I agree (for example, geo-blocking the Russia for their low prices). Infact, and maybe you are not aware of ìt, there is a discussion among the Parliament and the Commission about the creation of a "two-speed Europe", which basically would include in the "first Europe" the west economies, which eventually merge in a single huge "Federal State" like USA, and a "second Europe" with other benefits but not others.

AmsterdamHeavy eredeti hozzászólása:

Regional pricing generally exists for a reason: weak economies and to curtail piracy.
It was much easier to type the first post, than to explain the obvious. Governments do not belong involved in any way in the pricing of consumer goods.

See my reply above. For your latest statement, I couldn't agree cause we don't purse a full liberal economy like USA, and the intervention of the State is allowed (and in some cases also requested by the same citizens). Two different views of the world and the society, nothing wrong with it.