Valve removes arbitration requirement from Steam Subscriber Agreement
In September 2024, Valve removed both the individual binding arbitration requirements and class-action waiver from the Steam Subscriber Agreement.[1][2][3] That agreement is essentially Steam's End-user license agreement. This was done because of a pending class-action lawsuit wherein "the named Plaintiffs won binding decisions from arbitrators rendering Valve's arbitration provision unenforceable for both lack of notice and because it impermissibly seeks to bar public injunctive relief."[4][5]
Implications
This restores consumer rights to both court litigation and class-action lawsuits, rather than being bound to forced arbitration, for resolving disputes with Steam.
Related legislation
In response to evolving consumer protection laws, Steam has recently updated its sales terms to enhance transparency for users. Notably, following the enactment of California's AB 2426 law, which mandates that digital storefronts clearly indicate when a user is purchasing a license rather than owning a product outright, Steam has added a notification beneath the 'Continue to Payment' button. This notice informs customers that purchasing a game grants them a license, not full ownership.[6]
Additionally, to comply with the European Union's Omnibus Directive, Steam now displays the lowest price a game has been offered at in the past 30 days to EU users. This measure aims to prevent misleading discount practices, ensuring that consumers are aware of a product's recent pricing history.[7]
References
- ↑ "Arbitration". National Association of Consumer Advocates (NACA). Archived from the original on 1 Jan 2025. Retrieved 17 Jan 2025.
- ↑ "The Updated Steam Subscriber Agreement" (press release). Steam. Archived from the original on 27 Sep 2024. Retrieved 17 Jan 2025.
- ↑ "Steam Subscriber Agreement". Steam. Archived from the original on 28 Sep 2024. Retrieved 17 Jan 2025.
- ↑ Jon Brodkin (27 Sep 2024). "Steam doesn't want to pay arbitration fees, tells gamers to sue instead". Ars Technica. Archived from the original on 17 Dec 2024. Retrieved 17 Jan 2025.
- ↑ Louis Rossmann (27 Sep 2024). "Steam altered the terms of the sale; you'll be happy they altered it further!" (video). YouTube.
- ↑ Joby Slinger (12 Oct 2024). "Steam Changes Sale Terms Due to New Legislation" (article). Zaman.
- ↑ Matt Cox (5 Jun 2023). "Steam starts showing EU citizens a game's lowest price from the last 30 days to comply with new law" (article). Rock Paper Shotgun.