Valve has single handedly red the resurgence of PC gaming, until now, it is as accessible to the mainstream as it is to the more technologically savvy of our number, but there are some things about Steam that leave a bit to be desired. Like the lack of a game sharing feature, or the inability to sell the games we already own.
That may soon be about to change. If this case against Valve in Germany bears any fruition, then Steam (and by extension all other digital services- not just Xbox Live, Playstation Network, and eShop, but also iTunes, App Store, Google Play, Amazon, and more) will have to allow resale of bought content.
As CinemaBlend reports, a consumer rights group is trying to push this matter into court right now. “Unfortunately a date of the trial is not fixed, we hope it will take place this year. Until then, it is not realistic that Valve will change their policy. But our chance to win the process is very good and that will be really an improvement for consumers: then they can sell their games to others.”
Valve responded to the issue: ““We are aware of the press release about the lawsuit filed by the VZBV, but we have not yet seen the actual complaint. That said, we understand the complaint is somehow regarding the transferability of Steam accounts, despite the fact that this issue has already been ruled upon favorably to Valve in a prior case between Valve and the VZBV by the German supreme court. For now, we are continuing to extend the Steam services to gamers in Germany and around the world.”
Whereas what Valve and Steam have done is to be appreciated, I sincerely hope that the court rules in favor of allowing resale of digital content. We should be able to own what we buy, and we can’t own what we buy until we have the option of selling it on.
