Steam Developer Game Ban Abusers

[Stealthy]

EDIT: Info:

Originally posted by MalikQayum:

Steam Game Ban Policies
Game Bans: Game bans are specific to the game in which the user was caught violating rules, primarily cheating. They are designed to prevent a user from accessing multiplayer features of that specific game on VAC-secured servers. Importantly, bans in one game cannot be used to block a user from playing other games.

Permanent Game Bans: According to Steam’s policy, a permanent ban should only be issued if the user was caught cheating specifically in that game. Permanent bans are meant to uphold the integrity of the game and deter cheating within that specific title.

Ban Limitations: Game bans do not extend across multiple games. Therefore, if a player is banned in one game, it does not automatically ban them from others unless those games have separate, individual bans issued by their respective developers.

Key Documentation Links
Steamworks Anti-Cheat Documentation: Details the policies surrounding VAC and game bans, including the specific rules on issuing bans. https://partner.steamgames.com/doc/features/anticheat

Steam Game Ban FAQ: Clarifies that bans are game-specific and cannot be used to block access to other games. https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/46DB-4CEC-F7E9-49E5

A developer can currently game ban people from their game for any reason. Any reason such as the developer being racist, or hateful toward a group of gamers who purchased their product. A developer can ban for negative criticisms such as users leaving bad reviews, playing other games the developer sees as competitor titles, or just because you have a YouTube channel. Not to be confused with VAC bans, but also game bans can stop your game experience from joining dedicated servers or playing multiplayer against other players who don't have a game ban.

Valve states, "Will Valve review developer requests for banning in any way?
Valve reserves the right to revoke access to the system if the developer abuses it."

But this is not the case as Valve is too busy counting their millions to care if a few 20 to 50 people were wrongfully scammed and game banned, so they don't really monitor anything. The report button on store feature really has no feedback if it even sends to Valve, it seems almost pointless and probably requires thousands of reports for a case to be seen.

Anyways, I created this thread to suggest the game ban system be hidden from public profile and because previous threads were locked due to calling out the specific abuser. Instead Valve should create a separate page accessible through a settings button which will show the amount of game bans, or better overall to only show for the account holder. Bad developers are currently abusing the game ban system to tarnish players clean profiles as a revenge tactic for receiving negative feedback on their game or just flat out being racist.

[Mad Scientist]

You'll get the same answers as the two previous threads you made in 2023.

[Tito Shivan]

You already made a thread about this a year ago:
https://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/0/6756004301624113526/

[Stealthy]

Originally posted by Mad Scientist:

You'll get the same answers as the two previous threads you made in 2023.

I am not looking for an answer. I am suggesting an idea that is not currently implemented. And in the past it wasn't public, and it was possible to remove the game from you library to remove the game ban. Which I believe should be valid but also no more option to repurchase the title.

[Stealthy]

Originally posted by Tito Shivan:

You already made a thread about this a year ago:
https://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/0/6756004301624113526/

Lol this is the best replies you guys can give? I mentioned I had a previous one locked and the reason for it. I am suggesting an idea and I'm suggesting it after Steam themselves suggested me to do so. After submitting proof of racism.

[Start_Running]

Originally posted by Stealthy:

A developer can currently game ban people from their game for any reason. Any reason such as the developer being racist, or hateful toward a group of gamers who purchased their product. A developer can ban for negative criticisms such as users leaving bad reviews, playing other games the developer sees as competitor titles, or just because you have a YouTube channel. Not to be confused with VAC bans, but also game bans can stop your game experience from joining dedicated servers or playing multiplayer against other players who don't have a game ban.

Valve states, "Will Valve review developer requests for banning in any way?
Valve reserves the right to revoke access to the system if the developer abuses it."

But this is not the case as Valve is too busy counting their millions to care if a few 20 to 50 people were wrongfully scammed and game banned, so they don't really monitor anything. The report button on store feature really has no feedback if it even sends to Valve, it seems almost pointless and probably requires thousands of reports for a case to be seen.

Anyways, I created this thread to suggest the game ban system be hidden from public profile and because previous threads were locked due to calling out the specific abuser. Instead Valve should create a separate page accessible through a settings button which will show the amount of game bans, or better overall to only show for the account holder. Bad developers are currently abusing the game ban system to tarnish players clean profiles as a revenge tactic for receiving negative feedback on their game or just flat out being racist.

Not anyything. The grounds for such are listed in the EULA you agree to when buying and installing the game. And generally speaking for a developer to give a rats ass about a single player enough to remember them let alone take action against them.. requires some deliberate and consistent effort on the part of the player.

[Tito Shivan]

Originally posted by Stealthy:

Lol this is the best replies you guys can give? I mentioned I had a previous one locked and the reason for it. I am suggesting an idea and I'm suggesting it after Steam themselves suggested me to do so. After submitting proof of racism.

Support sending you here is their polite way to tell you that being game banned on a game is none of their business. They probably didn't even know you already had brought the thread before.

As in regards the rules:
https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/6862-8119-C23E-EA7B

Examples of off-topic content include:

Spamming
Posting topics in incorrect hubs
Re-posting closed, modified or deleted content

Don't be surprised if thsi thread ends up locked like the latter.

[Mad Scientist]

Originally posted by Stealthy:

Originally posted by Mad Scientist:

You'll get the same answers as the two previous threads you made in 2023.

I am not looking for an answer. I am suggesting an idea that is not currently implemented. And in the past it wasn't public, and it was possible to remove the game from you library to remove the game ban. Which I believe should be valid but also no more option to repurchase the title.

Originally posted by Stealthy:

Originally posted by Tito Shivan:

You already made a thread about this a year ago:
https://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/0/6756004301624113526/

Lol this is the best replies you guys can give? I mentioned I had a previous one locked and the reason for it. I am suggesting an idea and I'm suggesting it after Steam themselves suggested me to do so. After submitting proof

One thread.

Game bans will display, as they generally should.

Is this because they're bringing the game back and continuing development per their game hub?

[Stealthy]

Originally posted by Start_Running:

Originally posted by Stealthy:

A developer can currently game ban people from their game for any reason. Any reason such as the developer being racist, or hateful toward a group of gamers who purchased their product. A developer can ban for negative criticisms such as users leaving bad reviews, playing other games the developer sees as competitor titles, or just because you have a YouTube channel. Not to be confused with VAC bans, but also game bans can stop your game experience from joining dedicated servers or playing multiplayer against other players who don't have a game ban.

Valve states, "Will Valve review developer requests for banning in any way?
Valve reserves the right to revoke access to the system if the developer abuses it."

But this is not the case as Valve is too busy counting their millions to care if a few 20 to 50 people were wrongfully scammed and game banned, so they don't really monitor anything. The report button on store feature really has no feedback if it even sends to Valve, it seems almost pointless and probably requires thousands of reports for a case to be seen.

Anyways, I created this thread to suggest the game ban system be hidden from public profile and because previous threads were locked due to calling out the specific abuser. Instead Valve should create a separate page accessible through a settings button which will show the amount of game bans, or better overall to only show for the account holder. Bad developers are currently abusing the game ban system to tarnish players clean profiles as a revenge tactic for receiving negative feedback on their game or just flat out being racist.

Not anyything. The grounds for such are listed in the EULA you agree to when buying and installing the game. And generally speaking for a developer to give a rats ass about a single player enough to remember them let alone take action against them.. requires some deliberate and consistent effort on the part of the player.

This is mostly speaking in multiplayer cases where the developer can obtain sensitive information about their players.

As of now I am not talking about the game ban being removed. The idea to remove it from public so the developer can't use it as a revenge tactic. Imagine this was the case on consoles for indie developers to be able to tarnish profiles on xbox live or psn because they saw a user or gaming website reviewer give their indie game a bad review.

Sure. fake EULA signed whatever, game ban, not allowed on game servers or playing with others, sure fine. But taking it outside to profiles is definitely defamatory. Especially when abused. At least on this side Valve can be better.

[William Shakesman]

Game bans showing on your profile is an obvious vector for abuse. Game bans themselves are arbitrary as designed, and it is hard to make a case that they shouldn't be, but to make an arbitrary unchecked system allow you to permanently divide accounts into tiers like this without any sort of oversight is silly. If the ban is arbitrary and unchecked, it should be similarly arbitrary in consequence. Valve has often terminated or restricted functionality in the past for abuse... a few bad apples spoils it for everyone as you well know, but these days it seems Valve prefers to turn a blind eye to abuse cases.

[Stealthy]

Originally posted by Tito Shivan:

Originally posted by Stealthy:

Lol this is the best replies you guys can give? I mentioned I had a previous one locked and the reason for it. I am suggesting an idea and I'm suggesting it after Steam themselves suggested me to do so. After submitting proof of racism.

Support sending you here is their polite way to tell you that being game banned on a game is none of their business. They probably didn't even know you already had brought the thread before.

As in regards the rules:
https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/6862-8119-C23E-EA7B

Examples of off-topic content include:

Spamming
Posting topics in incorrect hubs
Re-posting closed, modified or deleted content

Don't be surprised if thsi thread ends up locked like the latter.

No, you can't assume they sent me here as a polite way, I explained everything from beginning to end. Whether they knew I had a thread or not is irrelevant and a different case. They sent me here to make a suggestion and that is what I am doing.

The last thread was closed for this reason, "This thread was quite old before the recent post, so we're locking it to prevent confusion."

Instead of derailing the thread and staying on topic and actually suggest something helpful, or exit the conversation.

[Stealthy]

Originally posted by Mad Scientist:

Originally posted by Stealthy:

I am not looking for an answer. I am suggesting an idea that is not currently implemented. And in the past it wasn't public, and it was possible to remove the game from you library to remove the game ban. Which I believe should be valid but also no more option to repurchase the title.

Originally posted by Stealthy:

Lol this is the best replies you guys can give? I mentioned I had a previous one locked and the reason for it. I am suggesting an idea and I'm suggesting it after Steam themselves suggested me to do so. After submitting proof

One thread.

Game bans will display, as they generally should.

Is this because they're bringing the game back and continuing development per their game hub?

Game bans shouldn't generally show imo and hopefully Valve pays attention one day and realizes that developers are abusing the system. In their own TOS they state a developer cannot abuse this system.

This is not because they're continuing their game. This is the 7th time they brought back their game scamming new users, but again irrelevant and off topic.

[Stealthy]

Originally posted by William Shakesman:

Game bans showing on your profile is an obvious vector for abuse. Game bans themselves are arbitrary as designed, and it is hard to make a case that they shouldn't be, but to make an arbitrary unchecked system allow you to permanently divide accounts into tiers like this without any sort of oversight is silly. If the ban is arbitrary and unchecked, it should be similarly arbitrary in consequence. Valve has often terminated or restricted functionality in the past for abuse... a few bad apples spoils it for everyone as you well know, but these days it seems Valve prefers to turn a blind eye to abuse cases.

I can agree to this statement no doubt. They should then hire more support staff to due more investigations and research. The blind eye is the main issue but because it mostly happens on smaller titles or less issued bans VS a big title generating a lot of income on scamming. The route I suggest is the easy way, but I'd definitely like to see more jobs for support team with the ability to run good investigations.

[William Shakesman]

Originally posted by Stealthy:

Originally posted by William Shakesman:

Game bans showing on your profile is an obvious vector for abuse. Game bans themselves are arbitrary as designed, and it is hard to make a case that they shouldn't be, but to make an arbitrary unchecked system allow you to permanently divide accounts into tiers like this without any sort of oversight is silly. If the ban is arbitrary and unchecked, it should be similarly arbitrary in consequence. Valve has often terminated or restricted functionality in the past for abuse... a few bad apples spoils it for everyone as you well know, but these days it seems Valve prefers to turn a blind eye to abuse cases.

I can agree to this statement no doubt. They should then hire more support staff to due more investigations and research. The blind eye is the main issue but because it mostly happens on smaller titles or less issued bans VS a big title generating a lot of income on scamming. The route I suggest is the easy way, but I'd definitely like to see more jobs for support team with the ability to run good investigations.

The simple answer is you don't typically need to review it. Valve doesn't care about why the bans happen, they just need to ACTUALLY ACT like they don't care and prevent them from showing on the profile. They're trying to eat their cake and have it too by splitting the difference with this weird inconsistent policy.

The former paragraph fixes the game ban issue. If the game itself is a scam or the developer is scamming, that does require a completely different approach.

[HikariLight]

Valve cannot handle bans on games they do not own.
All Valve can do is put the ban on the profile of the user to tell them they dev banned them from the game.
And by making it so visible, it is to encourage users to not break the rules again.

[Mad Scientist]

Originally posted by Stealthy:

Originally posted by Tito Shivan:

Support sending you here is their polite way to tell you that being game banned on a game is none of their business. They probably didn't even know you already had brought the thread before.

As in regards the rules:
https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/6862-8119-C23E-EA7B

Don't be surprised if thsi thread ends up locked like the latter.

No, you can't assume they sent me here as a polite way, I explained everything from beginning to end. Whether they knew I had a thread or not is irrelevant and a different case. They sent me here to make a suggestion and that is what I am doing.

The last thread was closed for this reason, "This thread was quite old before the recent post, so we're locking it to prevent confusion."

Instead of derailing the thread and staying on topic and actually suggest something helpful, or exit the conversation.

That's supports nice way of saying "this isn't account or billing related, we wont be assisting you", they're known to incorrectly send people here to get rid of them to clear the ticket queue.

Do note that server operators may automatically via scripts remove people with game bans from their servers as well, and that is perfectly ok with Valve and the Game Developer/Publisher as server operators get to decide who plays on their server, you'd be unable to influence that decision as well.

Despite the individual agreeing with you, this does not allow for any form of "abuse", not is it likely to change. You've been over this in other threads, over a year, let it go. Play another game.

Also even if it wasn't publicly displayed by obvious text, scripts would be able to scrape and automatically take action against people as it still has accessible code for an individuals profile, so anything automated or knowledgeable users would still be able to find out.

There's also the matter that people leave out most of the story.