Has Valve removed a paid game from a user's library and are there legal protections for the user?

[Bad Cat]

From what I understood, delisted games are still accessible for users who purchased them on Steam. I've had an argument with someone that Valve can just take away any game from an account's library.

This is what I found out while searching the Forums and Community:

If a developer communicates a ban request to Valve, is the offending player banned from launching that game – or from using Steam entirely? And, for how long?

The effects of the game ban are determined by the developer, and must be consistent with a VAC ban, such as being prevented from playing online with other players and/or trading items for that game. It cannot prevent the user from launching and playing the game offline. It cannot prevent the user from using Steam.

The duration of the game ban is determined by the developer. Only permanent game bans are displayed on the user’s profile. Temporary game bans, or suspensions, are not displayed.

Does this mean developers can take my games away from me?

No. The developer can only impose restrictions consistent with VAC, such as preventing online play and/or prevent the trading of items for that game.

So the point of the guy was, there's no law that prevents Valve from removing something like a single player game that does not rely on services from the developer/publisher. My point is that it's not just a specific law, but consumer protection laws from various countries that one can use in court to argue against Valve removing their games from their library.

So am I wrong in assuming that Valve will not remove your discontinued games as a general policy? I can understand them trying to protect themselves by not mentioning in writing that they promise not to remove them. I understand game companies having the right to discontinue services for their games like servers, updates and content.

[RiO]

İlk olarak Big Bridge.mp4 tarafından gönderildi:

İlk olarak brian9824 tarafından gönderildi:

Already confirmed false

https://www.gamesradar.com/four-more-ubisoft-games-affected-by-delistings-on-steam/

Yeah the whole "but what is ubisoft doing" is just people not actually reading what's happening. Yes some functionality is being lost but it's ignorant to think you can force a company to indefinitely support something that is only a money and resource drain in online functions of such an old product. That'd be like thinking you can go force a car manufacturer to continue to produce parts for a 50 year old model of car.

No-one had issue with them decommissioning multiplayer on such old titles.
That's to be expected.

People had issue with them taking down paid-for DLC and entire single-player experiences - the latter of which is thankfully probably false; but the jury is still out on how single-player DLC is impact.
Such things set a nasty precedent. Because if Ubisoft gets away with axing DRM to cheat people out of access to their games without actually taking those games away, what's to prevent other publishers from doing the same?
Like ... say. When Popular Series X releases Popular Series X 2 or Popular Series : Remake?

It's that precedent that has/had everyone in uproar.

[crunchyfrog]

Let's face it here, whether or not it turns out to be a false alarm is moot. The fact is Ubisoft have a history of being anti consumer and untrustworthy so we absolutely should be vigilant anyway.

Even though this largely seems to be stated as nothing to worry about we should still pay attention and hold them to it.

[C²C^Guyver |NZB|]

İlk olarak Start_Running tarafından gönderildi:

İlk olarak C²C^Guyver |NZB| tarafından gönderildi:

You know this whole thing, is really hilarious...in a bad way. Back in the day, you couldn't remove games from your account, period. Now not only has Valve madeit where you can remove games from your own account but developers and publishers can remove games or make them inaccessible to you for whatever reason they choose.

Dev pubs always had the ability to revoke keys.

İlk olarak C²C^Guyver |NZB| tarafından gönderildi:

I don't give a crap what is in their terms of service, this is illegal and it is not right.

On the contrary it is very much legal, and right. YOu break your side of the agreement, they are under no onus to hold up their end of the deal. That's like common reasoning. Heck thats the very prinicple on which laws themselves operate.

İlk olarak C²C^Guyver |NZB| tarafından gönderildi:

So, basically I can sell someone a car and in a few years down the line if I decide that I want that car back because it is old and they are not using anymore, I can just go take it Ubisoft knew they were going to do this and they still put their games on sale during this past summer sale. If that isn't underhanded I don't know what it is.

Yeah no. It be more like if you leased a car to someone. YOu are then at liberty to take it back . Of course you have to payback the money difference in time you short changed them. Because what you're actually buying is a license to use the software. You have no ownership of it.

Except there was no fraud Ubisoft pretty much just "As of this date, X game will no longer be accessible"

Now, it's:

"DLC for this product and online elements and features will become unavailable, as of Sept 1st, 2022. The base game will continue to be playable."

BUT they're still removing paid DLC.

Anyone defending Ubisoft at this point is just not getting it.

Yes, we paid foe a license, I get it. Scrap the MP...but don't downgrade my game, just because you want to,

[C²C^Guyver |NZB|]

As for it being false. They changed it, after the uproar. It was true.

https://imgur.com/a/qtKSFDY

Splintercell: Blacklist said the same thing.

[Quint the Alligator Snapper]

İlk olarak C²C^Guyver |NZB| tarafından gönderildi:

As for it being false. They changed it, after the uproar. It was true.

https://imgur.com/a/qtKSFDY

Splintercell: Blacklist said the same thing.

Oh, I see.

I guess the "uproar" was useful for something after all.

[Lunacy]

The only time a purchased game can be removed from your account is if you specifically request for it to be removed from your account.

Also I've seen some controversies with Day of Dragons where specific youtubers were hard-banned in the game that prevented them from booting the game, and they tested because it worked fine on a family-shared account but not on their main steam accounts. This kind of action is not allowed because they are inconsistent with the way VAC functions.

[C²C^Guyver |NZB|]

İlk olarak Lunacy tarafından gönderildi:

The only time a purchased game can be removed from your account is if you specifically request for it to be removed from your account.

Nope. Developers can remove it.

https://www.gamingbible.co.uk/news/steam-users-find-game-deleted-from-their-library-without-warning-20220221

https://happygamer.com/sin-has-just-been-removed-from-everyones-steam-library-no-longer-available-to-play-58983/

and this game:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/326410/Windward/

...was removed when the devs thought keys were obtained illegally.

We received replacement keys a week later.

The bundle it was in:

https://gg.deals/bundle/fanatical-untamed-bundle/

[Brian9824]

İlk olarak C²C^Guyver |NZB| tarafından gönderildi:

As for it being false. They changed it, after the uproar. It was true.

https://imgur.com/a/qtKSFDY

Splintercell: Blacklist said the same thing.

Nope,was just a mistake on the store, theve had documents for over a week confirming it's just the multiplayer servers, and devs even posted on liberation forum confirming that all before the uproar existed

[C²C^Guyver |NZB|]

İlk olarak brian9824 tarafından gönderildi:

İlk olarak C²C^Guyver |NZB| tarafından gönderildi:

As for it being false. They changed it, after the uproar. It was true.

https://imgur.com/a/qtKSFDY

Splintercell: Blacklist said the same thing.

Nope,was just a mistake on the store, theve had documents for over a week confirming it's just the multiplayer servers, and devs even posted on liberation forum confirming that all before the uproar existed

"Notice: DLC for this product and online elements and features will become unavailable, as of Sept 1st, 2022. The base game will continue to be playable."


You're not reading it properly. It says DLC and online elements. Which means they are removing single player paid DLC. Effectively downgrading everyone who purchased deluxe, gold or ultimate versions of their games to the base versions. If that sounds fair or okay to you, then I really don't know what else to say.

[Dr.Shadowds 🐉]

This AFAIK, there only few ways games can be revoked/removed from your account.

A) If you bought a key for a game, the devs can have it revoked, this doesn't often happen, but normally happens if you bought a stolen key from someone.

B) If you bought the game via Steam, or someone gifted you the game via Steam, and a charged back happens, that be reason why it taken away, but also account become restricted until issued resolved, where have the funds returned.

C) If a refund was issued on the account for said game, and got approved, the game will be removed.

D) If devs felt they no longer want to continue selling, and want to issue mass full refund to all users, they have that option which revokes everyone copy, and fully refund them all users paid.


Now there different when games get blocked from functioning such as requires connection to sever, this normally for games that online always, such as MMOs, or etc... Where game rely on server that manage by devs/publisher to work. Nothing can Steam do about them if devs/publisher chooses to end server, and game stop working basically.

[C²C^Guyver |NZB|]

Like I said, I am fine with them ending online or multiplayer support. I'm not stupid and I know online maintenance costs money. What I am talking about is them effectively removing paid single player content that we paid for, for no other reason than them choosing to.

They want you to buy these premium editions of these games and market them as the best way to experience the game. Who is going to want to buy these versions anymore if they can be one day just reduced to the base versions like we never even bought it?

There is certainly something Valve can do if they feel a developer or publisher is being anti-consumer. I might be wrong but this is certainly anti-consumer in my opinion.

[C²C^Guyver |NZB|]

DLC or part of the base game?
When you release new content for your game, you have a few options for how you can provide that content to players. You can sell it as Downloadable content (DLC) or as in-game purchases. Or you can simply include it in the base game as a free content update.

https://partner.steamgames.com/doc/store/updates

That literally says that Ubisoft if they chose to, could merge all of the single player DLC that they are planning to block access to, into the main game. They are choosing not to or they don't know that they can.

[Brian9824]

İlk olarak C²C^Guyver |NZB| tarafından gönderildi:

İlk olarak brian9824 tarafından gönderildi:

Nope,was just a mistake on the store, theve had documents for over a week confirming it's just the multiplayer servers, and devs even posted on liberation forum confirming that all before the uproar existed

"Notice: DLC for this product and online elements and features will become unavailable, as of Sept 1st, 2022. The base game will continue to be playable."


You're not reading it properly. It says DLC and online elements. Which means they are removing single player paid DLC. Effectively downgrading everyone who purchased deluxe, gold or ultimate versions of their games to the base versions. If that sounds fair or okay to you, then I really don't know what else to say.

Your not reading the title properly. Yes they are removing some DLC (of which many of those games im not even sure HAD single player DLC)

That wasn't the thread discussion. It was about the game being removed from the library which was always false.

[MalikQayum]

valve has removed (delisted) games from users library, without users consent after a purchase. they however refunded the purchase.