Can Steam take my games like Amazon can take Kindle books?

[Eccentric Gentleman]

Yesterday I found out that Amazon can remove purchased books form anyone's Kindle library and even remotely go into anyone's Kindle and remove any books contained on it. And they can do this at any time for any reason they want.

This was very concerning to me, Not only because I had just bought a Kindle (which I will now be returning) but also because I have been using steam for years and almost all my games are on it. What's more, some PC games are only available as Steam downloads. The only hard copies were for consoles, and I gave up being a console gamer because console games are often only compatible with that console, they stop making them eventually and don't always include backward compatibility for new models.

I've done some internet searching to find out if Steam is similar to Kindle.
Some people say it is, that we don't own what we buy and if Steam shut down we'd lose all our games. But I think that last part only applies to online multiplayer.
Others seem to say that Steam cares more then Amazon, that they promise to create a "permanent offline mode" if they go under.

But I couldn't find anything either way to answer the question, can Steam take my games remotely? So I put the question to you.

[Brian9824]

I know of one single case in all of valves history were they revoked access to someone's games and that is from a guy with years of abuse to steam.

The final straw was him refusing multiple warnings and him making fake accounts and bombarding steam with fake tickets to disrupt support and refusing to stop.

The claim that you lose everything goes to your account if banned is false. 99.999999% of bans are just your account becoming locked from adding new content. They don't take anything away.

[Brian9824]

Originally posted by S ∀ɹפ:

Originally posted by Aachen:

So (setting aside capability) would you say it’s realistically likely to happen, or not?

I've already answered that, several times. Unless steam as a company ceases to exist I doubt it.

Originally posted by cSg|mc-Hotsauce:

You said they "have done this to many people in the past."



https://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/0/3057363849864857539/?ctp=4#c3057363849867178552

But you did not provide and source for it.

Posting a fact should be very easily verifiable with a linked source otherwise it is just your opinion.

:qr:

Learn to read

You saying it happened is not a source.....

[happy]

Originally posted by brian9824:

Originally posted by Paratech2008:

Just a heads up games publishers / devs can revoke keys for any reason and I have had keys revoked because they got into fights with online stores.

It's a shame they aren't held accountable when they are at fault and decide to revoke keys because they dislike a deal they made with a store...

That's not any reason, that is the store not paying them and committing theft and is incredibly rare with legit stores

Its 2021 and theres still children that think gray market key sites just steal keys lmfao. Actually insane!

[Brian9824]

Originally posted by koRRupted mInd:

Originally posted by brian9824:

That's not any reason, that is the store not paying them and committing theft and is incredibly rare with legit stores

Its 2021 and theres still children that think gray market key sites just steal keys lmfao. Actually insane!

Well its 2 different issues. Even stores like HumbleBundle have had keys revoked before, sometimes due to a glitch, sometimes because the publisher didn't track the keys and revoked legit ones by accident.

That is incredibly incredibly rare and if it happens the store makes it right.

There are also sites that sell the keys, but end up not paying the dev, or not paying the dev for all the keys sold so the dev revokes ALL the keys issued to that store because they don't know which were sold and which weren;t.

There are a lot of different examples but they are ALL incredibly rare

[Eccentric Gentleman]

This has become the most commented thread I've ever posted on Steam.

[wuddih]

Originally posted by Eccentric Gentleman:

This has become the most commented thread I've ever posted on Steam.

https://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/10/627456486849997575/
no.

[happy]

Originally posted by wuddih:

Originally posted by Eccentric Gentleman:

This has become the most commented thread I've ever posted on Steam.

https://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/10/627456486849997575/
no.

That HE posted to steam. Theres thousands of posts that have double the comments this one has.

[Start_Running]

Originally posted by Eccentric Gentleman:

Yesterday I found out that Amazon can remove purchased books form anyone's Kindle library and even remotely go into anyone's Kindle and remove any books contained on it. And they can do this at any time for any reason they want.

Yes STeam and just about every other digital platform reserve the right and have the ability to revoke your licenses.

That has happened to some people already who puirchased their keys from 'questionable sources' or who violated the game's EULA to an extreme degree.

This was very concerning to me, Not only because I had just bought a Kindle (which I will now be returning) but also because I have been using steam for years and almost all my games are on it. What's more, some PC games are only available as Steam downloads. The only hard copies were for consoles, and I gave up being a console gamer because console games are often only compatible with that console, they stop making them eventually and don't always include backward compatibility for new models.

Unless you planned on doing something you know you should be doing this is a null issue.

I've done some internet searching to find out if Steam is similar to Kindle.
Some people say it is, that we don't own what we buy and if Steam shut down we'd lose all our games. But I think that last part only applies to online multiplayer.

No STeam totally is like Amazon. You receive a license and the license grants you access. If the license is revoked, you lose the access. Multiplayer and all.

Others seem to say that Steam cares more then Amazon, that they promise to create a "permanent offline mode" if they go under.

Yes they have stated that. But you're conflating two different events. Steam and the dev/pubs have the right to revoke licenses. That's in the system by design. But Valve has said that in the event Steam were to go belly up as a company that they would work out some permanent solution.

But I couldn't find anything either way to answer the question, can Steam take my games remotely? So I put the question to you.

You clearly didn't research very deeply.
Yes. Licenses can be revoked. All platforms reserve this right and power.
Unless you do something insanely stupid , this is not something you ever need worry about.
It's basically like asking. Can the polic throw me in prison for life?' Yes they can. But you have to make a very specific series of poor life choices for that to happen,

[Satoru]

Note only once has steam ever removed a game from user's libraries, and it was only at the behest of the publisher Square Enix because their servers were being shutdown for a game

Games that are removed from sale, changed, new version, etc, are all retained in your library

[sfnhltb]

Originally posted by Eccentric Gentleman:

Yesterday I found out that Amazon can remove purchased books form anyone's Kindle library and even remotely go into anyone's Kindle and remove any books contained on it. And they can do this at any time for any reason they want.

This was very concerning to me, Not only because I had just bought a Kindle (which I will now be returning)

So you found someone that said they can do this. Have you actually looked into whether they have, and how frequently and in what situations? You sound like another fish hooked on some anti-corporate propaganda blog sites line.

Companies make money by selling products to people (or licenses to them or whatever), they don't make money revoking said content even if they can, unless they stand to lose money by not doing so, which is usually an extremely rare case and having a serious justification. Youtubers and blog sites get money by gaining peoples attention, and it isn't often by providing well balanced overviews of reality, but rather extremely biased views because that is what tends to get linked and sent around.

[crunchyfrog]

Originally posted by Satoru:

Note only once has steam ever removed a game from user's libraries, and it was only at the behest of the publisher Square Enix because their servers were being shutdown for a game

Games that are removed from sale, changed, new version, etc, are all retained in your library

This.

It's really easy to understand, and it's important to not fall for silly scaremongering.

Sure, you CAN see that under the terms they could feasibly remove anything at any time. But that's just a liability thing to cover themselves. Doesn't mean they're going to do that. It's just there if things really go pear-shaped.

The eivdence speaks for itself - one games removed over the years (afaik) - that's a minute percentage, and nothing to worry about.

The simple upshot is that while those contract terms are there, they still cannot overrule statutory rights, such as your basic consumer rights. And if Valve or a publisher were to remove your game entirely, you'd have a valid claim legally for redress.

[AbedsBrother]

Originally posted by Eccentric Gentleman:

Can Steam take my games like Amazon can take Kindle books?

Yes.

That said, Steam is dominating gaming on PC because of consumer confidence in their platform. Unless Steam gets purchased by Tencent, I doubt there will be any occasion where they remove games from users' accounts (where the reason isn't tied to fraudulent keys), as doing so would reduce user confidence in their platform. (translation: it'd be huge sh*t storm)

But they could if they wanted to...

It's the same story for Origin, Uplay / Ubisoft Connect, The Rockstar Launcher, and the Epic Games Launcher.

Only gaming storefront that is different is GOG. If you back up your installers, there's nothing anyone can do to take that offline installer away from you (short of sending a SWAT team to raid your house).

[Brian9824]

Originally posted by S ∀ɹפ:

Both of you need to learn to read as well. This place isn't for learning how to read, it's for people who can read and want to discuss things.

Still funny enough you've yet to post 1 link. I guess at this point your just admitting to trolling though so that's to be expected.

Originally posted by S ∀ɹפ:

Yes, steam has done this to many people in the past. If you get banned you will lose everything tied to your account as well.

Can confirm that this is 100% BS and not true at all. Account bans don't result in you losing everything tied to your account.

There is only 1 full ban in history that i'm aware of and that was with a guy who spent years of abuse on the forums, and then proceeded to make multiple accounts to spam steam support with tickets over and over after numerous warnings to stop.

So its 100% false that many people have lost everything tied to their account. I mean you'll just deny it and continue to refuse to post any evidence to the contrary, so feel free to keep spreading lies.

[crunchyfrog]

Originally posted by brian9824:

Originally posted by S ∀ɹפ:

Both of you need to learn to read as well. This place isn't for learning how to read, it's for people who can read and want to discuss things.

Still funny enough you've yet to post 1 link. I guess at this point your just admitting to trolling though so that's to be expected.

Originally posted by S ∀ɹפ:

Yes, steam has done this to many people in the past. If you get banned you will lose everything tied to your account as well.

Can confirm that this is 100% BS and not true at all. Account bans don't result in you losing everything tied to your account.

There is only 1 full ban in history that i'm aware of and that was with a guy who spent years of abuse on the forums, and then proceeded to make multiple accounts to spam steam support with tickets over and over after numerous warnings to stop.

So its 100% false that many people have lost everything tied to their account. I mean you'll just deny it and continue to refuse to post any evidence to the contrary, so feel free to keep spreading lies.

Yup, Brian's correct here.

Valve don't take whole accounts or remove purchases for infractions. Punishments must be appropriate to the crime or they'd be sued heavily.

[Brian9824]

FYI here is the only gamer in history to get a complete ban from Steam - https://dailystormer.su/steam-permabans-russian-user-blocks-his-library-for-extreme-racism/

That article doesn;t show all the douchebaggery that he did, such as when he admitted and then later deleted his tweets that he was spamming dozens of fake tickets a day to steam support and ignored repeated warnings to stop or he would lose his account.

Funny enough more then a year later and not a remote hint of the lawsuit he was going to immediately file.