Or it will fine Steam up to $900 a day, $550k a year with escalating judgement coming after
This will kill the indie game industry
French court rules country's Steam users can resell their games
French court rules country's Steam users can resell their games
Federal Union of Consumers wins case under EU law, Valve readies for appeal
Rebekah Valentine
Staff Writer
Thursday 19th September 2019
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The District Court of Paris has issued a ruling saying that French owners of digital games on Steam are permitted to resell them under EU law.
Next Inpact reports (as translated by GamesIndustry.biz sister-site Rock Paper Shotgun) that the court ruled in favor of the French consumer interest group Union fédérale des consommateurs, the Federal Union of Consumers on a number of clauses including the issue of digital resales.
The Federal Union of Consumers has been pursuing Valve for several years now over numerous issues in the Steam Subscriber Agreement. This particular ruling by the French court looks at Valve's claim that consumers do not actually purchase a digital product when they buy a game -- rather, they purchase a subscription to access and use content and services on Steam. The court's ruling classifies these sales as digital licenses rather than subscriptions, thus allowing them to be resold in the same way that physical games have been resellable.
Per the court, the prohibition against digital resales violates EU laws that maintain "the free movement of goods within the Union." All goods sold within the EU must be able to be resold without permission from the person who originally sold them.
Lead Game Designer - SUMO NOTTINGHAM
Anywhere
Sumo Digital
Art Director - SUMO SHEFFIELD
Anywhere
Sumo Digital
Executive Producer - SUMO SHEFFIELD
Anywhere
Sumo Digital
Discover more jobs in games
Additionally, the court says Steam's terms claim a number of other rights Valve does not actually have, including keeping wallet funds without reimbursement when users leave the platform, relinquishing responsibility if users incur harm using the platform, as well as certain rights regarding mod use, user-submitted content, and account termination. A total of fourteen clauses were determined to be unacceptable.
Though Valve can still appeal this ruling within the next three months, the Federal Union of Consumers intends to use it to further other legal challenges against Steam both in France as well as in other EU countries.
"We disagree with the decision of the Paris Court of First Instance and will appeal it," a Valve spokesperson said to Polygon. "The decision will have no effect on Steam while the case is on appeal
This will kill the indie game industry
French court rules country's Steam users can resell their games
French court rules country's Steam users can resell their games
Federal Union of Consumers wins case under EU law, Valve readies for appeal
Rebekah Valentine
Staff Writer
Thursday 19th September 2019
SHARE THIS ARTICLE
Recommend Tweet Share
Valve
The District Court of Paris has issued a ruling saying that French owners of digital games on Steam are permitted to resell them under EU law.
Next Inpact reports (as translated by GamesIndustry.biz sister-site Rock Paper Shotgun) that the court ruled in favor of the French consumer interest group Union fédérale des consommateurs, the Federal Union of Consumers on a number of clauses including the issue of digital resales.
The Federal Union of Consumers has been pursuing Valve for several years now over numerous issues in the Steam Subscriber Agreement. This particular ruling by the French court looks at Valve's claim that consumers do not actually purchase a digital product when they buy a game -- rather, they purchase a subscription to access and use content and services on Steam. The court's ruling classifies these sales as digital licenses rather than subscriptions, thus allowing them to be resold in the same way that physical games have been resellable.
Per the court, the prohibition against digital resales violates EU laws that maintain "the free movement of goods within the Union." All goods sold within the EU must be able to be resold without permission from the person who originally sold them.
Lead Game Designer - SUMO NOTTINGHAM
Anywhere
Sumo Digital
Art Director - SUMO SHEFFIELD
Anywhere
Sumo Digital
Executive Producer - SUMO SHEFFIELD
Anywhere
Sumo Digital
Discover more jobs in games
Additionally, the court says Steam's terms claim a number of other rights Valve does not actually have, including keeping wallet funds without reimbursement when users leave the platform, relinquishing responsibility if users incur harm using the platform, as well as certain rights regarding mod use, user-submitted content, and account termination. A total of fourteen clauses were determined to be unacceptable.
Though Valve can still appeal this ruling within the next three months, the Federal Union of Consumers intends to use it to further other legal challenges against Steam both in France as well as in other EU countries.
"We disagree with the decision of the Paris Court of First Instance and will appeal it," a Valve spokesperson said to Polygon. "The decision will have no effect on Steam while the case is on appeal
