NOTIFICATIONS/SECTION ABOUT REMOVED GAMES FROM STEAM

[StorM]

Can you please implement a system which would notify users that the game on their wishlist or Steam store will be permanently removed from the store soon (add exact date) so that users can buy it before it gets removed or put those games in separatee section on the front page? Developers who make games with licensed soundtrack (Mafia, GTA San Andreas...), licensed cars or players, licences from comics or movies etc. all know exactly when they'll have to remove their games from the store and majority of games on Steam gets removed because of expired licenses. They are the ones I'm talking about, not some rare cases where devs/publishers are forced to remove their games immediately for some other reasons. Maybe even put those games on separate section on the front page "soon removed games" and alow devs/publishers to sell them on sale so that the game can sell even more copies before it's gone forever. That'd be really helpful for anyone who collects games and is interested in many of them like myself and for Valve and developers/publishers too since they'll make more profit.

[ KARR™]

Valve aren't necessarily informed. Publishers have the ability to add/remove and amend their packages at any time and may remove things without warning. Normally if a publisher knows they make it public on the store page or through social media.

It could be due to to legal issues, they aren't allowed to have it up for sale for ANY days.

[StorM]

I'm aware of all the things you're saying, I'm just proposing for a solution between Valve and developers/publishers to do something about that if it's possible. They don't always do it on the social media and it's stupid because you can easily miss that information there since facebook is flooding everyone with garbage. It'd be great if Valve could somehow notify you about games that will soon be deleted or they could simply make a separate section on the front page where developers/publishers can put those games by themselves and on sale if they want. They can add it right there with "New and trending", "Top sellers" etc. and call it "Removed soon" or something like that.

[odds]

Sounds like a really good idea though :-)

[JPMcMillen]

Originally posted by StorM:

I'm aware of all the things you're saying, I'm just proposing for a solution between Valve and developers/publishers to do something about that if it's possible. They don't always do it on the social media and it's stupid because you can easily miss that information there since facebook is flooding everyone with garbage. It'd be great if Valve could somehow notify you about games that will soon be deleted or they could simply make a separate section on the front page where developers/publishers can put those games by themselves and on sale if they want. They can add it right there with "New and trending", "Top sellers" etc. and call it "Removed soon" or something like that.

Unless the publisher actually makes a formal announcement about it, generally Steam finds out when the publisher tells them to take the game off Steam. In most cases Steam doesn't get any advance notice, and the publisher is under no obligation to do so.

Then are also cases where the publisher no longer exsists and Steam has to remove the game because they don't have anyplace to send the money from sales of that game. Sometimes Steam doesn't find out until the payments are refused because the publishers bank account was closed.

In short, most games don't give any notice of their removal from Steam, so there is no way for Steam itself to let people know that.

[StorM]

Originally posted by JPMcMillen:

Unless the publisher actually makes a formal announcement about it, generally Steam finds out when the publisher tells them to take the game off Steam. In most cases Steam doesn't get any advance notice, and the publisher is under no obligation to do so.

Then are also cases where the publisher no longer exsists and Steam has to remove the game because they don't have anyplace to send the money from sales of that game. Sometimes Steam doesn't find out until the payments are refused because the publishers bank account was closed.

In short, most games don't give any notice of their removal from Steam, so there is no way for Steam itself to let people know that.

They must have all the games from their store in the database so they know which games come and go from the store. So all I'm suggesting is that they do something about soon to be removed games together with developers/publishers where literally everyone can profit; developers/publishers sell more copies in that short time since it'll be gone forever from the store, Valve gets the usual 30% and consumers get the game they wanted. Everyone's happy. What I wrote is not that hard to understand and my suggestion isn't something impossible or unrealistic to do. If GOG can make deals with publishers regarding the GOG connect then so can Valve make deals with them too about selling the games that will soon be gone.

[Drab]

If they are removing the game, they don't want you to buy it.

Steam Employee - "Oh hey we need to remove that game from the store because it has full blown porn in it."

Noob Steam employee - "Make sure to notify everyone so they can buy it before we remove it."

[JPMcMillen]

Originally posted by StorM:

Originally posted by JPMcMillen:

Unless the publisher actually makes a formal announcement about it, generally Steam finds out when the publisher tells them to take the game off Steam. In most cases Steam doesn't get any advance notice, and the publisher is under no obligation to do so.

Then are also cases where the publisher no longer exsists and Steam has to remove the game because they don't have anyplace to send the money from sales of that game. Sometimes Steam doesn't find out until the payments are refused because the publishers bank account was closed.

In short, most games don't give any notice of their removal from Steam, so there is no way for Steam itself to let people know that.

They must have all the games from their store in the database so they know which games come and go from the store. So all I'm suggesting is that they do something about soon to be removed games together with developers/publishers where literally everyone can profit; developers/publishers sell more copies in that short time since it'll be gone forever from the store, Valve gets the usual 30% and consumers get the game they wanted. Everyone's happy. What I wrote is not that hard to understand and my suggestion isn't something impossible or unrealistic to do. If GOG can make deals with publishers regarding the GOG connect then so can Valve make deals with them too about selling the games that will soon be gone.

Which part of this are you not getting? In most cases Steam doesn't know about a game being removed until the publisher tells them to remove it, immediately. They don't tell Steam to take the game down in a few days or next week, They tell them to take it down, and do it right now. In fact, I don't even think they have to tell Steam anything. They can just go in, flip a switch, and the game can no longer be sold.

So Steam has absolutely no possible way to know this in advance and therefore would have no way to warn potentional customers that they need to buy the game before it gets pulled. The ONLY way you are going to get any warning about a game being removed from Steam before it happens is if the publisher, and only the publisher, makes an announcement about it.

[StorM]

Originally posted by JPMcMillen:

Which part of this are you not getting? In most cases Steam doesn't know about a game being removed until the publisher tells them to remove it, immediately. They don't tell Steam to take the game down in a few days or next week, They tell them to take it down, and do it right now. In fact, I don't even think they have to tell Steam anything. They can just go in, flip a switch, and the game can no longer be sold.

So Steam has absolutely no possible way to know this in advance and therefore would have no way to warn potentional customers that they need to buy the game before it gets pulled. The ONLY way you are going to get any warning about a game being removed from Steam before it happens is if the publisher, and only the publisher, makes an announcement about it.

Which part of everything I wrote are you not getting? Jesus Christ, my English is not that terrible. So for the 3rd time: Valve owns Steam and offer various services on their platform. In the same way they offer early access program, featuring games on the front page etc. they could offer publishers an option to sell their games which are going to be removed in the separate section on the Steam front page where everyone could see that they're going to be removed and exact date. You can't be serious to claim that "they can't do anything". Valve can also flip the switch and remove whole catalog of games from a publisher, like they did with digital homicide. Deadpool was announced to be removed soon on facebook and after that it was a top seller for 5 or more days. There is literally no difference if a publisher could make that same announcement in the separate section on Steam except it'd sell even more copies because everyone would know that the game will be removed from the store.

[Black Blade]

Originally posted by StorM:

Which part of everything I wrote are you not getting? Jesus Christ, my English is not that terrible. So for the 3rd time: Valve owns Steam and offer various services on their platform. In the same way they offer early access program, featuring games on the front page etc. they could offer publishers an option to sell their games which are going to be removed in the separate section on the Steam front page where everyone could see that they're going to be removed and exact date. You can't be serious to claim that "they can't do anything". Valve can also flip the switch and remove whole catalog of games from a publisher, like they did with digital homicide. Deadpool was announced to be removed soon on facebook and after that it was a top seller for 5 or more days. There is literally no difference if a publisher could make that same announcement in the separate section on Steam except it'd sell even more copies because everyone would know that the game will be removed from the store.

Cases like DH where removed as Valve did not want to keep giving them money, they clearly will not want to advertise that
So or so its not like removing games is something normal that happens daily or the like, and it can make Devs maybe mark there games to be removed just to get a little more exposure (game going to be removed as we are making a new version of it, and we do that next week and the week after that as well)
Games that are removed as of legal issues, or games that are removed as there publisher/developer was ban from Steam are not suppose to get money from it for the most part, its not something Valve will want to help
Games that are removed as of licnes or the Pub/Dev closing down is the only fair reason i can see for these to happen, that the publisher may want to push it, thing is i don't think in the end there all that common

[JPMcMillen]

Originally posted by StorM:

Which part of everything I wrote are you not getting? Jesus Christ, my English is not that terrible. So for the 3rd time: Valve owns Steam and offer various services on their platform. In the same way they offer early access program, featuring games on the front page etc. they could offer publishers an option to sell their games which are going to be removed in the separate section on the Steam front page where everyone could see that they're going to be removed and exact date. You can't be serious to claim that "they can't do anything". Valve can also flip the switch and remove whole catalog of games from a publisher, like they did with digital homicide. Deadpool was announced to be removed soon on facebook and after that it was a top seller for 5 or more days. There is literally no difference if a publisher could make that same announcement in the separate section on Steam except it'd sell even more copies because everyone would know that the game will be removed from the store.

And what part are you not getting? In the vast majority of cases where a publisher pulled their game from Steam, they didn't give Valve (or anyone else) advance notice (nor do they have too). So even if they had a section for games about to get pulled, they wouldn't know to put it there. And given how infrequently it would get used, I really doubt Valve would spend the time and resources setting something like that up.

So it would be up to the publisher to make any kind of anouncement, which could easily include a link to their Steam store page for those who want to buy it to try and get it before they pull it. So if a publisher wants to make such an announcement, they are more than welcome to do that on their own. Generally though, you only see this with MMO style games that are shutting down and most do it so that players are aware of the shutdown to allow them the option to reconsidder making any in-game purchases.

[Jerry]

http://store.steampowered.com/news/externalpost/rps/243580289114417675

Here is a case of a publisher announcing, that they will pull their game from the store, combined with a heavy discount until then. You see, the tools, you are looking for, are already there, and in cases, where the removal is known in advance, can be used. If this happens, is up to the dev, not Valve.

Most other cases, where this is not possible, were named in here already. If a publisher has to pull down his product immediately for legal reasons, there is no time to announce. If a publisher removes his product out of spite, there is no intention to tell before. And if, like this fall, Valve decides to strike against a publisher, who misuses the functions of Steam, they will certainly not give out a date in advance.

[StorM]

Originally posted by JPMcMillen:

Originally posted by StorM:

Which part of everything I wrote are you not getting? Jesus Christ, my English is not that terrible. So for the 3rd time: Valve owns Steam and offer various services on their platform. In the same way they offer early access program, featuring games on the front page etc. they could offer publishers an option to sell their games which are going to be removed in the separate section on the Steam front page where everyone could see that they're going to be removed and exact date. You can't be serious to claim that "they can't do anything". Valve can also flip the switch and remove whole catalog of games from a publisher, like they did with digital homicide. Deadpool was announced to be removed soon on facebook and after that it was a top seller for 5 or more days. There is literally no difference if a publisher could make that same announcement in the separate section on Steam except it'd sell even more copies because everyone would know that the game will be removed from the store.

And what part are you not getting? In the vast majority of cases where a publisher pulled their game from Steam, they didn't give Valve (or anyone else) advance notice (nor do they have too). So even if they had a section for games about to get pulled, they wouldn't know to put it there. And given how infrequently it would get used, I really doubt Valve would spend the time and resources setting something like that up.

So it would be up to the publisher to make any kind of anouncement, which could easily include a link to their Steam store page for those who want to buy it to try and get it before they pull it. So if a publisher wants to make such an announcement, they are more than welcome to do that on their own. Generally though, you only see this with MMO style games that are shutting down and most do it so that players are aware of the shutdown to allow them the option to reconsidder making any in-game purchases.

So you will just keep ignoring everything I suggested and repeat your post. Small section for those games near "top sellers", "new releases" would cost so low to make that I don't even know why you mentioned it, especially since it's Valve and they have tons of money. Ofcourse I was talking about games where devs/publisher know exactly when will their game be gone from the store. Fine, go ahead, keep trolling and copy/pasting, but until you or anyone else give me good reasons why Valve wouldn't make an announcement to developers/publishers and tell them "hey guys, if you know that your game is going to be pulled from the store for any reason you can put it in the section "soon gone from store" and even put them on the sale" there is no point in arguing with you.

[Black Blade]

Originally posted by StorM:

So you will just keep ignoring everything I suggested and repeat your post. Small section for those games near "top sellers", "new releases" would cost so low to make that I don't even know why you mentioned it, especially since it's Valve and they have tons of money. Ofcourse I was talking about games where devs/publisher know exactly when will their game be gone from the store. Fine, go ahead, but until you or anyone else give me good reasons why Valve wouldn't make an announcment to developers/publishers and tell them "hey guys, if you know that your game is going to be pulled from the store for any reasom you can put it in the section "soon gone from store" and even put them on the sale" there is no point in arguing with you.

Did I not give a few reasons?

[StorM]

Originally posted by Black Blade:

Originally posted by StorM:

So you will just keep ignoring everything I suggested and repeat your post. Small section for those games near "top sellers", "new releases" would cost so low to make that I don't even know why you mentioned it, especially since it's Valve and they have tons of money. Ofcourse I was talking about games where devs/publisher know exactly when will their game be gone from the store. Fine, go ahead, but until you or anyone else give me good reasons why Valve wouldn't make an announcment to developers/publishers and tell them "hey guys, if you know that your game is going to be pulled from the store for any reasom you can put it in the section "soon gone from store" and even put them on the sale" there is no point in arguing with you.

Did I not give a few reasons?

I was responding to JPMcMillen, not you, and I was talking about games where developers know that their game will be removed from the store. Few days ago Deadpool was announced on facebook to be removed from Steam, Alan Wake was also announced to be removed from the store this year... There are many cases where developers/publisher announce it on social media or simply know when will they remove the game from the store and that's what I was talking about this whole time. Instead of announcing it on social media implement it here on Steam so that everyone can see it easily. Developers who make games with licensed soundtrack (Mafia, GTA San Andreas...), licensed cars or players, licences from comics or movies etc. all know exactly when they'll have to remove their games from the store. They are the ones I'm talking about, not some rare cases where devs/publishers are forced to remove their games for some other reasons. There's no reason not to implement something like that on Steam if they normally announce it on the stupid social media where that kind of info is easily missable due to facebook having terrible newsfeed. That's why I said that Valve can easily announce to everyone on their store "hey guys, if you know that your game is going to be pulled from the store for any reason you can put it in the section "soon gone from store" and even put them on the sale". Why does all this sound so "impossible" to some of you, I seriously can't understand. It doesn't have anything to do with money being the problem and everyone profits in the end.

[wind_candle]

Originally posted by StorM:

...Developers who make games with licensed soundtrack (Mafia, GTA San Andreas...), licensed cars or players, licences from comics or movies etc. all know exactly when they'll have to remove their games from the store. They are the ones I'm talking about...

Why don't you ask them to notify you personally when they're going to remove their games? Then you won't even need to look it up, right?

The fact of the matter is, the publishers decide where to post annoucements of any kind, be it discounts, free offers, updates, or removals. If you don't like social media, you should ask them to stop posting stuff there, instead of asking Valve to do their job for them. If the publishers really want to make some last-minute profit, I'm sure they'll try to spread the information as wide as possible. If they don't care, there's nothing more you can do than Valve can.