Why are buying steam accounts against TOS?

[VivaPunk]

I personally don't see it as a big deal, its not like its breaking the economy or like identity theft. I need an answer to this to see if i'm missing something.

[cSg|mc-Hotsauce]

There is only 1 owner of an account.

All services have this in their ToS.

[Brimzel]

Not to mention users that sell accounts and then use the self-recovery process to snatch them back.

It's better the way things are now, for Steam and the user.

[DiceDsx]

Because you're cutting out Valve as the middleman. It's like asking "Why can't we use the Market without giving Valve a cut?".

Edit: Imho. I should've wrote that before :/

[cSg|mc-Hotsauce]

Originally posted by DiceDsx:

Because you're cutting out Valve as the middleman. It's like asking "Why can't we use the Market without giving Valve a cut?".

Accounts are free.

The Market requires upkeep and that is where Valve's cut goes.

[Cromi]

Putting aside that each product you buy on Steam is a one user non-transferable license....

A big problem if Steam turned a blind eye to selling accounts is that users would be wide open to fraud. A person could sell their account, and then go through the process to reclaim the account since they would have all the proof of ownership. The "buyer" would then be out money and the account and would blame Steam. Steam couldn't turn off the ability to reclaim account because of phishing sites and scammers stealing accounts. It would just be one big ugly snowball effect.

[cSg|mc-Hotsauce]

Originally posted by Cromi:

Putting aside that each product you buy on Steam is a one user non-transferable license....

A big problem if Steam turned a blind eye to selling accounts is that users would be wide open to fraud. A person could sell their account, and then go through the process to reclaim the account since they would have all the proof of ownership. The "buyer" would then be out money and the account and would blame Steam. Steam couldn't turn off the ability to reclaim account because of phishing sites and scammers stealing accounts. It would just be one big ugly snowball effect.

Support already does lock accounts for contested ownership. As in, can no longer log into the account.

[Cromi]

Originally posted by cSg|mc-Hotsauce:

Support already does lock accounts for contested ownership. As in, can no longer log into the account.

:qr:

Thankfully under the system in place they can lock contested accounts, but if (and a big IF at that) they did allow selling of accounts then it would quickly become a circular mess. They would have to allow contested ownership in case of account stealing, but also make it uncontestable in case of selling. I would hate to be on their end of that PR hailstorm.

[CyberDragon]

Not being able to sell your account would be about like Honda saying you can't sell your car. We are the owners of the accounts and the games, not Steam. I would be willing to kill the person who came up with that rule. I bet it was Forest Gump cause he's the only person dumb enough to do something like that

[eram]

Originally posted by CyberDragon:

Not being able to sell your account would be about like Honda saying you can't sell your car. We are the owners of the accounts and the games, not Steam. I would be willing to kill the person who came up with that rule. I bet it was Forest Gump cause he's the only person dumb enough to do something like that

you dont own your account or the games.

you purchase licences to a game, so you dont even own your games no.

[Eagle_of_Fire]

Originally posted by DiceDsx:

Because you're cutting out Valve as the middleman. It's like asking "Why can't we use the Market without giving Valve a cut?".

Edit: Imho. I should've wrote that before :/

This is not a valid argument at all. Otherwise flea markets or second hand markets would not exist and would also be illegal.

Note that I'm not vouching for the other side either. But your post make absolutely no sense at all given the topic.

Edit: the other users/posts bring way more valid arguments to the table. Like for example, every game being a one time license sold to a specific individual. The accounts themselves don't have any real legal hold but the licenses do and Valve has an obligation to act when they get proof of such tampering. Just like Youtube has an obligation to strike a channel accused of violating copyright law prior to the actual investigation. Companies are forced to do that when such a case are brought to their attention.

[Leonardo Da Pinchi]

Originally posted by CyberDragon:

Not being able to sell your account would be about like Honda saying you can't sell your car. We are the owners of the accounts and the games, not Steam. I would be willing to kill the person who came up with that rule. I bet it was Forest Gump cause he's the only person dumb enough to do something like that

Fun fact, most accounts on account selling websites that are up for sale. Are stolen. Let that sink in.

[❤ Sly Succubus ❤]

Did ya'll really bump a topic from 3 years ago?

[Leonardo Da Pinchi]

Originally posted by Confusion Cat:

Did ya'll really bump a topic from 3 years ago?

The dude with the newly active account (hasn't posted since 2k19, so likely bought) did, we're just telling him why it's silly to get mad over not being able to sell accounts.

[Eagle_of_Fire]

Originally posted by Confusion Cat:

Did ya'll really bump a topic from 3 years ago?

Yeah, I didn't even realise. Man am I tired of people necroing topics for no reason.

[Crashed]

Originally posted by Purple Heart:

Did ya'll really bump a topic from 3 years ago?

And it seems the necro bot is being a bit slow today too.