German group files legal complaint against Valve's Steam service
German consumer group complains about Valve's lack of digital resale
The Federation of German Consumer Association (Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband, VZBV) has submitted a legal complaint over Valve's lack of haste in making changes to its End-User License Agreement (EULA).
In September of last year, the VZBV threatened to pursue Valve in court if it did not change its EULA to allow Steam users to resell their digital content. The organization also took issue with Valve not allowing an opt-out for users that did not want to sign the new EULA. Ultimately, the VZBV says that digital games should be handled like physical games and the current status quo isn't beneficial to consumers in the long run.
"We have submitted complaint against the company to the district court Berlin," VZBV spokesperson Eva Hoffschulte told Cinema Blend.
The VZBV has stated that it will take its case all the way up to the Supreme Court if Valve doesn't come into compliance with EU law. Valve will be modifying its EULA on January 31, but the VZBV believes that it may be a case of 'too little, too late'.
Top Comment Digital Resale will be a bad thing for all developers. Steam sales already reduce games to low low prices for those prepared to wait a tiny ammount of time. If you then add In a 2nd hand market able to undercut developers sale prices for the same product you effictively wipe out long term sales of games. It will be manipulated too, Sale prices will have to go up because otherwise people will buy copies of games In sales just to sell second hand once the sale ends for a profit.
It will mean the introduction of more always online 1 activation per code and free to play micropayment models for making money. As the developers will need to work around the loss of long term sales.
Im not actually sure who this benefits either, people claim It's the consumers, but the studios who can no longer offer good games without crippling DRM and money making micro transaction methods embedded into their games will dissapear and you'll end up with less choice stiffled because sales figures can't be predicted..
I find It quite strange that digital media such as games, where people play them for 100's of hours for effectively pennys an hour can't be considered either a consumable product without resales allowed or at least restricted.. Surely we could come up with a fair solution like once 30 hours are played the game becomes unsellable as Its determined a fair value of the product has been recieved, or the developer gets 50% of any resale of a digital product...
Also just as a disclaimer, these views are totally my own and don't reflect my employers views or policys on the subject..
Posted:4 months ago