All Silicon Echo Productions (Zonitron Productions) games removed from Steam Store/API.

[iDuL]

All games developed by Zonitron Productions have been removed from the steam store/API.

Anybody with these games will have them removed from their game count, effective the next time you activate a key or buy a game. If you have these games in your library they're still accessible. However trading cards & all other markeplace items attached to the game are no longer available.

It's about time this dev got shut down. Here's a really useful article on the whole situation:
https://www.polygon.com/2017/9/26/16368178/steam-shovelware-removed-asset-flipping/

Also, tied with this whole story is the fact that the developer had a fully funded Kickstarter for a game called "The Herbologist". It is suspected those funds were spent to put out all these asset-flipping games to the Steam store rather than to development of the actual promised game.
https://www.reddit.com/r/kickstarter/comments/72lu7e/kickstarter_for_the_herbologist_cannot_deliver/

Official Kickstarter for Herbologist

special thanks to Mellow_Online1 for info/links/hard work & 真 MUTANT OVERLORD for the link to the developer search page.

[Mutant Overlord]

wtf is going in this link?
http://store.steampowered.com/search/?developer=Zonitron%20Productions&page=3
Those games aren't on Steam anymore yet, you can search for.

[iDuL]

@MUTANT OVERLORD
Yes exactly. I just wanted to give #SOS a heads up on this.

I became aware of the matter via Reddit:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Steam/comments/72foef/changes_in_steam_api_50_removed_games_no_longer/

Then realized Zonitron Productions was the asset flipping dev this group has been after. Mission accomplished boys. Case closed.

[Mellow_Online1]

Oh trust me, we're aware. News of it broke in our Discord last night, was insane when it happened. Broke out the champagne and everything.

[zmakad]

Already removed the "games" from my list as is [thanks to the group].

Congrats.

[Shattered mind]

it would be nice to know what exactly finally made Valve put their foot down.

[R3ap4r]

Valve hopefully will release a statement concerning the removal of 1% of their
entire games catalogue, i'm sure other users / YT / news outlets would be interested.

[Ryuu]

Originally posted by PriNcE oF SpAcE:

it would be nice to know what exactly finally made Valve put their foot down.:goblin::2016whoadude:

They got enough Steam Direct fees from them, haha
Or maybe some news outlets already had lit some light on this shady practice?

[Dontasciime]

Valve need to email customers with a list of what was removed and a refund for anything bought from store after they devalued all stats cards keys etc.

It's only fair to at least email customers and say what was removed/restricted

[Michel Baie]

Originally posted by Dontasciime:

Valve need to email customers with a list of what was removed and a refund for anything bought from store after they devalued all stats cards keys etc

Why?
The games are still available on their accounts.

[Ryuu]

I agree that some kind of notification is necessary in such case even if the games are still playable(lol, like these kind of games are usually purchased to be played!)

[Dontasciime]

Originally posted by Hibachi:

Originally posted by Dontasciime:

Valve need to email customers with a list of what was removed and a refund for anything bought from store after they devalued all stats cards keys etc

Why?
The games are still available on their accounts.

Because why does customer have to do the work to figure out why their profile library count has decremented by XX amount. There will be many perplexed as to what has happened.

[Dontasciime]

Their system is a bit of a mess. eg craft badge, coupon given 2 days ago 90% off berry crush, valve didn't just decided this morning to close store to dev/publisher but 2 days ago was happy enough to issue coupon as incentive to buy said game then to restrict it's availability, stats, cards whatever else +1 count grants to game.

[Michel Baie]

Originally posted by Ryuu:

I agree that some kind of notification is necessary in such case even if the games are still playable(lol, like these kind of games are usually purchased to be played!)

Here too, why?
I mean, for games with an online component, notice should be a common practice.

But for asset flips...
I'm pretty sure there's enough idiots "collectors" to make the dev turn the perspective of a lost product into a profit.

Originally posted by Dontasciime:

Because why does customer have to do the work to figure out why their profile library count has decremented by XX amount. There will be many perplexed as to what has happened.

So being perplex about seeing their oh-so-dear e-peen game count shrink is enough to warrant a refund?

Originally posted by Dontasciime:

Their system is a bit of a mess. eg craft badge, coupon given 2 days ago 90% off berry crush, valve didn't just decided this morning to close store to dev/publisher but 2 days ago was happy enough to issue coupon as incentive to buy said game then to restrict it's availability, stats, cards whatever else +1 count grants to game

Well yeah and that's a problem too. Crafting badges was giving you quite a lot of chances to stumble upon a fucking Zonitron coupon. So again, good riddance.

[Dontasciime]

^ it is if you've just purchased a game from steam store and it's restricted 1 or 2 days later and why do people insist on chucking epeen on everything as a form of insult

[Dontasciime]

Anyway It would be nice if steam/valve gave a notification email about removed games you've purchased from their store like when you buy something from the store or now when you activate something via key. That is the main point I would like them to consider. Nothing else is important.