Option to pay to get unbanned, but there's a catch

[P1ayer]

Please take a minute to read my suggestion before coming to a conclusion.

I know a few friends that previously cheated in a game. They often played against cheaters, and due to rage they decided to download a cheat too. When they got banned, most of them just created a new account and moved on, but occasionally they mention that they regret their decision and wish they didn’t cheat.

It does suck that some people abandon their entire account filled with games just because they got VAC banned in one. So, I thought it would be nice if people could buy that game again or pay certain amount in order to remove their ban. But, for this to not be abused, I’d suggest some rules:
- People should be eligible to repurchase that game after 2 or 3 years have passed since the initial ban. Years or price should be increased if they get banned again and want to buy it again.
- All their stats and inventory about that game will get wiped. When you create a new account you start from zero anyway.
- The red text will be removed from your profile, but you’ll be tagged that you were previously banned, only visible using Steam’s api.

These are my suggestions, but they can be changed or improved. Honestly, I wouldn’t mind if they offered me to pay 100$ after few years if that means I can return my account back to normal. I do believe that people make mistakes and they deserve a second chance.

Here’s how I think about some arguments you might have against this:
- “Just get the game on another account. You deserved to get banned” . Ok, but now you have two accounts, one abandoned with a ban and one without with only one game on it. With my suggestion, you’ll get your punishment and you’ll still be able to play on your main account without the need of other accounts.
- “If you get unbanned you’ll still cheat” . Well, that depends on the person if they’re willing to cheat again after a few years and a wipe. My suggestion would benefit people that understood their mistake and care about their accounts.
- “This would benefit cheaters” . Cheaters don’t need this, if they get banned they’ll just create a new account and continue with their day. I don’t want to know how many level 0 VAC banned accounts are there with only one game on them.

If you have any other suggestions or have an idea how would you handle free games, I would like to hear them :)

[Wolf Knight]

temp bans were tried, they did nothing. that is why bans are now permanent.

[Crazy Tiger]

It wouldn't look good for Valve or a game developer. It would create the image that they earn money from banning people, which is bad PR.

[Washell]

Crazy Tiger a écrit :

It wouldn't look good for Valve or a game developer. It would create the image that they earn money from banning people, which is bad PR.

Indeed. People already claim Valve (and other devs) don't address cheating because they make money selling new copies. Selling actual unbans...

[Satoru]

P1ayer a écrit :

Please take a minute to read my suggestion before coming to a conclusion.

Yeah the answer is still no, this is a terrible idea that benefits no one but cheaters

Cheaters like you

You'll excuse me if you wanting to escape the appropriate punishment of your own actions is something literally no one will think is a good idea.

[cSg|mc-Hotsauce]

P1ayer a écrit :

...due to rage decided to download a cheat too.

How is that justification for his actions that violate the Steam Subscriber Agreement?

[Brian9824]

Or people like you can stop cheating....


Your already free to make a new steam account and rebuy the game

[P1ayer]

I didn't want this to sound like an option for them to profit from bans, that's why I added the 2 year period suggestion. This was meant to be optional. If someone wants to continue playing, nothing stops them from creating new account and getting that game again. Getting perma banned on one account doesn't change anything as long as you're able to create multiple accounts without restrictions.
I might've phrased this whole post wrong, but I don't see the issue to have the option to repurchase the game on the same account after a certain period and some punishments, it removed the need for other accounts.

This sounded logical in my mind, but if it's wrong I can understand.
(And for those that assume I cheated, I understand you too, I saw the amount of people begging to be unbanned. Sharing my second account to untrustful people was my mistake.)

[Aachen]

P1ayer a écrit :

I didn't want this to sound like an option for them to profit from bans, that's why I added the 2 year period suggestion ....

How does a time window change the optics?

.... Getting perma banned on one account doesn't change anything as long as you're able to create multiple accounts without restrictions ....

Read the VAC Discussions .... it certainly seems to change things—and if it really didn’t .... why would people pay to have the scarlet letter scrubbed away?

.... Sharing my second account to untrustful people was my mistake.)

Yeah, “not reading the SSA” seems slightly more fundamental, but you’ll find presumptions of good faith rather scarce, I’d bet.

[76561198407601200]

Sure, as long as the inventory of the game also gets wiped to remove the ban.

[SpunkyJones]

Don’t cheat and this won’t a issue. I’m not sure why people work so hard on these ideas thinking people will have sympathy for cheaters.

[The End]

P1ayer a écrit :

Option to pay to get unbanned...

In my opinion Valve or any developer who do this would be shooting themselves in the feet's. People would start claiming they were banned just so the developer could make easy money.

P1ayer a écrit :

due to rage decided to download a cheat too.

There is the problem and why you got banned, nothing Valve can or should try to fix.

Learn not to do silly things when you rage.

[Lily McFluffy Butt]

Or you could just not cheat. Why should Valve give an out to cheaters?

[✨Saint✨]

Here is an idea OP:

You should give a 100$ to all those people you cheated against, ruining their experience.

[nullable]

P1ayer a écrit :

I didn't want this to sound like an option for them to profit from bans, that's why I added the 2 year period suggestion. This was meant to be optional. If someone wants to continue playing, nothing stops them from creating new account and getting that game again. Getting perma banned on one account doesn't change anything as long as you're able to create multiple accounts without restrictions.

If it doesn't change anything the current system is fine. If a cheater wants to buy a game over and over again, that's fine. They're free to do so. I don't see it as an argument to let them restore their original account. Depending on the game, a new account is still a form of consequence because anything unlocked on the old account is inaccessible. They'll have to do it all over.

P1ayer a écrit :

I might've phrased this whole post wrong, but I don't see the issue to have the option to repurchase the game on the same account after a certain period and some punishments, it removed the need for other accounts.

Is the need for a new account a problem for anyone? Are developers looking for ways to reduce the number of new account in any game? The only people it's an inconvenience for is the cheater, and I think the general sentiment from the rest of the playerbase and developers is, "screw 'em."

P1ayer a écrit :

This sounded logical in my mind, but if it's wrong I can understand.
(And for those that assume I cheated, I understand you too, I saw the amount of people begging to be unbanned. Sharing my second account to untrustful people was my mistake.)

It's not illogical. Not all issue are strictly logic issues. It's just not a problem for people who don't cheat or developers. There's just not going to be much buy in when it comes to improving things for cheaters or accounts that are certainly guilty of cheating. That's the biggest problem with the idea, why do all the other players care about people who ruin the game for everyone else? Why do developers care about cheaters who probably cost the developer more than they're worth?

You either buy a new license and demonstrate you've changed on a new account. Or you live with the consequences of your actions, your choices, or your reckless/careless behaviors, whatever best describes the excuses.

[Tito Shivan]

Asked this very same question long time ago in the old forums Valve staff answered they had no plans in making easier the life of cheaters.
I don't see them changing their philosophy after all these years.

You already have a second chance by buying the game one got banned from in another account.

Also, although the ban persists, the VAC BAN notice dissapears from the profile after seven years.