80°

Valve sued in Germany over game ownership

The Federation of German Consumer Organizations (VZVB) has sued computer game distributor Valve because it prohibits Steam-gamers from reselling their games.

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pcadvisor.co.uk
Knight_Crawler4099d ago

Faith in humanity restored.

Thanks Germany!

jimbobwahey4099d ago

Yup, a small victory for the consumer, albeit only in Germany. Hopefully other countries follow suit and prompt Valve to change their policy.

ChrisW4098d ago

If they win against Valve, then we might be able to sell our old MS Windows or Mac IOS... Or better yet we would be able to sell our WoW accounts without fear of being banned...

Yeah, that ain't going to happen!

aliengmr4098d ago

What victory?

In 2010 Valve was sued by the VZVB and the VZVB lost.

The CJEU said last year that selling "used" licenses is legal.

The VZVB just filed a new lawsuit in order to use the precedent.

That is all that happened. Valve responded to its customer complaints and decided to allow its customers to access the games they already bought if they choose to decline future changes to the EULA.

Personally I the ruling of the CJEU is very vague and could carry many unintended consequences. Valve has expressed interest in allowing users to trade used games, but they aren't in a position to do anything with third party software.

I really don't see how suing Valve will accomplish anything.

Somebody4099d ago

Right around Sony and MS are starting the next gen war since it is rumored that preventing reselling games is one of the main functions of next gen consoles.

bozebo4099d ago (Edited 4099d ago )

Hmm... But people could have also chosen to just not buy things on Steam if not being able to sell games on is a bother. Most of the games I buy on Steam cost less than they would've for a 2nd hand physical copy anyway.

As long as they pass the reduction in distribution costs to the consumer then it's better for gamers and developers (devs get cash that is otherwise lost when a game is sold 2nd hand and also that cashflow means they can keep making games, that aren't AAA, because only AAA games work on a boxed retail model now).

Another point, if Valve were forced to allow 2nd hand sales on Steam, loads of developers would stop using steam and just self publish (to restrict 2nd-hand sales). Steam would only be attractive to tiny developers who need to appear on there for publicity, which again I feel self publishing can work especially because of their specific niche audience.

born2live4098d ago

If I resell my car, is the car maker entitled to get money out of the transaction? Nope. Has it stopped car makers from making cars? Nope. Then why do I keep reading comments from people who believe developpers should get paid when I resell my games, because if they don't they'll stop making games? How does that make sense? I'm fed up with online passes, region locks, online DRMs and all those cheap tactics that are only meant to squeeze a few more dollars from us, the consumers. It should be illegal. Kudos to Germany, and I hope the VZVB wins that one. Heck, maybe I should start something in my country too...

Ducky4098d ago (Edited 4098d ago )

Games aren't cars. They're a different industries and you can't expect the same rules to apply across the board.

When it comes to digital content, allowing for the resale of used content is something that is quite difficult to accomplish.

Physical PC games can't be resold since the advent of CD Keys, so suing Valve doesn't make much sense.
That... and Valve isn't really the kind of company that abuses their customers.

ChrisW4098d ago (Edited 4098d ago )

Most of the games that I bought on STEAM were on sale for 50 or 75% off. It's like buying them used in the first place. So I don't care if I can't resell them.

On the flip side, I do have a lot of games that I bought in packages that I will never play nor install and would rather *delete* them from my account since they are only cluttering up my Games Library.

kevnb4098d ago

cars are made to break over time, games arent.

matgrowcott4098d ago (Edited 4098d ago )

The point I think too many people are missing over this is that this isn't a Steam issue, it's just that Steam are the biggest digital distributor. If they are forced into allowing sell-back, every other digital distributor will have to as well.

It won't be a case of developers choosing whether to use Steam or not, it'll be a choice of selling their games online or not.

aliengmr4098d ago

True. But I would caution people who think this is a good idea.

dennett3164098d ago (Edited 4098d ago )

Devs are not entitled to our cash purely because they make a game....they have to earn it by making a decent quality title. Rather than trying to nickle and dime people to death, they should try giving gamers incentives to buy new rather than going out of their way to punish those who don't.
Second hand sales often benefit developers and publishers, more than they'd care to admit I'd imagine. It's certainly a valuable resource for games that didn't do so well and thus received limited release, often second hand is the only way to get a hold of some games. A cheap second hand sale of a good game like Dead Space may well lead to DLC purchases and purchases of further games in the series upon release. Second hand game sales also are used to fund new game purchases - something that would no doubt be useful in the digital space as well.

I think devs and publishers are remarkably short sighted when it comes to second hand sales...especially in the financial climate we have nowadays. Treat your customers like the enemy, and they'll simply go elsewhere for their gaming fix.

kostchtchie_4098d ago

think people are not getting the whole picture its about OWNERSHIP of what you buy no matter if it is digital or retail, not just reselling for cash

kevnb4098d ago

Im not sure I like this, as a programmer myself I dont want people reselling my code to each other. It doesnt wear out like an actual material thing. Whats going to end up happening is that programmers are going to have to make sure their code breaks eventually, just like engineers do with material electronics.

Insane0874098d ago

it'll probably go nowhere they've got to have a ton of stuff in their terms and services about it... on greenman gaming you can trade in certain digital downloaded games never understood how that works tho do they just reset the key or something?

Show all comments (21)
90°

Team Fortress: Source 2 and Portal 64 Fan Projects Shut Down by Valve Takedowns

Fan projects Team Fortress: Source 2 and Portal 64 have shut down after Valve intervened in their development.

-Foxtrot104d ago

First they open Steam up to more AI, now they are shutting down fan projects when at one time they used to support or even give the fans jobs.

Wonder what's going on with Valve at the minute.

rlow1104d ago

@Foxtrot
It’s called money plain and simple.

JEECE103d ago

I mean, that might explain the Team Fortress 2 thing, because Valve might bring that to Source 2 (though I'm not sure I'd bet on that), but I can't see how Portal 64 hurts them. If anything, it's more attention to the Portal and therefore Valve/Steam.

Giblet_Head103d ago (Edited 103d ago )

There's potential that Valve had already planned to bring Source 2 to TF2 officially after Counter Strike 2. It's been getting some renewed attention lately.

Inverno103d ago

You got Nintendo to thank for Portal64 being taken down. As for TF2, most likely it's due to the probability of Valve working on a source 2 port themselves. It's sucks but Nintendo are the biggest pricks in the business and not letting this drag out into a huge court drama is the best decision.

100°

Valve Opens the Floodgates to Allow More AI Based Games on Steam

Valve has updated its stance on AI games on the Steam storefront, allowing creators to publish AI-created games.

Droppedez104d ago

AI is just another form of slavery for our computer brethren.

Barlos103d ago (Edited 103d ago )

Hell no. I want games that have been made by creative minds who have a passion for their craft, not a bot with a penchant for plagiarism.

BrainSyphoned103d ago (Edited 103d ago )

So instead of paying for an engine and assets to create a game they are paying for an engine and assets to create a game.

290°

Valve Tells Players To Stop Inhaling Steam Deck Vent Fumes

Valve has officially warned against inhaling the Steam Deck vent fumes in an official response due to potential health hazards.

gold_drake130d ago

my god, people are so dumb these days.

shinoff2183129d ago

I read the headline to my girl and she even reacted wtf is wrong with people. People wild

Notellin127d ago

I feel bad for her that she can't read and needs you to do it for her. Keep your head up!

shinoff2183127d ago

Notellin, I've been teaching her 😘

Jin_Sakai128d ago (Edited 128d ago )

This generation is about dumb as it gets.

frostypants128d ago

Huffing things isn't new to be fair.

SavageFlamingo128d ago

This has nothing to do with generations. It’s not a stupid challenge or anything. People just happened to smell it while they were playing. The steam deck exhaust is easy to smell without even trying. Just playing it you’ll smell it in the air around you.

Felix_Argyle_Catbro127d ago

"tHiS gEErAtIoN"
It's every generation, today you just see it more clearly thanks to internet.

k2d128d ago

To be fair, I loved the smell of glue, gas and certain plastics as a kid (new disc cartridges/new hardware, anyone?)

Si-Fly127d ago

Instruction manuals for me, best smell ever 😂

crazyCoconuts128d ago

I actually take a whiff of it once in a while, it's funny that it smells so good lol

DarXyde128d ago

Tide pod fiasco all over again

Felix_Argyle_Catbro127d ago

"tHeSe DaYs"
People have been just as dumb in the past, you just see it clearly now thanks to the internet.

gold_drake127d ago

thanks for that .. insight. ha.

rlow1127d ago

Well good thing about dumb people, they play an important part in human history. How else do we know which plants, animals and foods ar dangerous? Dumb people! They pay the price so the rest of us don’t have to. Lol

FinalFantasyFanatic127d ago

Honestly, I'm not even surprised considering some of the people I come across these days, inhaling fumes would explain a lot of things.

+ Show (5) more repliesLast reply 127d ago
Knightofelemia129d ago (Edited 129d ago )

Wow people will huff anything nowadays some people just have way too much time on their hands.

Abnor_Mal128d ago (Edited 128d ago )

Another reason to love the PlayStation Portal, no chance of breathing in noxious vapors.

Get a Steam Deck they said, to which I reply, what are you high?

KwietStorm_BLM128d ago

Were you high when you typed this?

Abnor_Mal128d ago

Sorry bud no Steam Deck here.

128d ago
FinalFantasyFanatic127d ago (Edited 127d ago )

Even the Steam Deck does streaming better than the Portal (they portal is capped for streaming for some reason, whereas the Steam Deck isn't).

Neonridr127d ago

imagine pretending a glorified streaming device is better than a stand alone unit that can also, stream.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 127d ago
Eonjay128d ago

Stand by for the 'gaming kills' articles.
Que Halloween movie theme.

Nucleux128d ago

What does it smell/taste like?

Barlos128d ago

Better than the Switch cartridges is my guess.

Just to be clear, I've never licked a Switch cartridge, nor have I inhaled my deck's fumes.

Profchaos128d ago

Same never licked a switch cart I've always been worried more about where it's been than the taste but

Fluke_Skywalker128d ago

It smells good, that's the problem lol. When I first turned mine on I noticed it 😅
Better stop sniffing it then.

Barlos128d ago

I've had my deck for over a year, I've never been compelled to put my nose near the vent for a good lungful 😂

crazyCoconuts128d ago

I can't explain it... It smells...new

SavageFlamingo128d ago (Edited 128d ago )

Kind of like cheap bacon cooking. Even cheap bacon smells good.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 128d ago
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