Steam DVD games: can you sell them?

[Janus67]

Steam has done a lot for the PC gaming community. It is really awesome such a system exists and nobody else has been able to duplicate it. Hell, I can install Steam/my steam games on as many systems as I want. I've done a lot, and haven't reached any imposed limit yet. That alone is awesome.

Remember the days when you had to manually download patch files for games from random sites (gamespy, filefront, etc) and update them manually? Shiver. Not anymore with steam

Now where's that tin foil hat emoticon...

 

[SteveLord]

Offline mode doesn't last. You'll eventually have to log in to get authenticated. It might be as long as a month, between required logins.

Baloney. I have had it on my kids' computer for several months in offline mode so they can play Scribblenauts. Where is a screen shot of Steam doing this? More evidence you know less than you think about Steam. Especially after your accusation of them being a monopoly for selling used games...which you were also corrected on.

Steam is probably one of the few allies PC gamers have left. I've been a member since the early beta and the enhancements to the software and programs/events geared to the community is unheard of on this scale.

 

[jediman]

I had a big response to this but the login system deleted my post and I don't feel like writing it again. IANAL, but discuss this topic semianually with one outside of official legal advice.

Benefits of contracts can often be resold. The benefits of this one being that you can copy install and play on your computer. Game companies will also license to anyone who clicks the accept button and they seem to give this contract to anyone whether you pay for the game or not. Also, steam holds your games hostage every time they make a new license, which is likely in violation of contract law.

 

[bob4933]

Maybe a lawyer should look into a class action lawsuit on behalf of hundreds of thousands of end users of such software.

What if you bought a video card and they enforced a similar lifetime ban on you ever reselling it? Or how about your car?

So what if I played the game? I drove my car and I still sold it.

Are you TRYING to be annoying and obtuse or are you really just this ignorant? The fact you're trying to argue this is ridiculous. You bought the game, you agreed to something you clearly didnt read (your fault, by the way), and are getting pissy because "you don't like it"...


Also, you are comparing an item you bought and OWN, versus something you DONT OWN. You DO NOT OWN the game, you are paying to be allowed to use it. This is really not a difficult concept to grasp, why are you trying to be difficult about it. A better example is if you LEASED the car, and tried to sell it. Good luck with that one mate.

Are you gonna go crusade on microsoft? Since you "own the disc", maybe you can install windows on all the computers in the world since you own that particular disc. No? why not???

 

[bob4933]

Baloney. I have had it on my kids' computer for several months in offline mode so they can play Scribblenauts. Where is a screen shot of Steam doing this? More evidence you know less than you think about Steam. Especially after your accusation of them being a monopoly for selling used games...which you were also corrected on.

Steam is probably one of the few allies PC gamers have left. I've been a member since the early beta and the enhancements to the software and programs/events geared to the community is unheard of on this scale.

+1

I was in the navy with no internet access on my laptops. I went 7-9 months at a time out to sea using steam offline mode. Never had to "reset it" or whatever he's suggesting.

 

[Contra]

Valve's 2 most successful games are Free to Play (Team Fortress 2 and DOTA 2).

What would you say is the "painfully obvious" reason that Valve offers an amazing free option to purchase and download games without ever leaving your desk, which is apparently a personal affront on all of gamingdom?

what is DOTA 2?

 

[Janus67]

Serious or /sarcasm? If serious it is a sequel to one of the original (if not the original MOBA game) called Defense of the Ancients. It is similar to league of legends if you are more aware of that game.

 

[freeagent]

Steam is awesome. I wasn't sure about it at first, but it has never let me down. I've been a user for almost 7 years. It's so much better these days.

 

[magellan]

+1

I was in the navy with no internet access on my laptops. I went 7-9 months at a time out to sea using steam offline mode. Never had to "reset it" or whatever he's suggesting.

I don't play many steam games anymore, but it used to be that Left 4 Dead 2
would every month or so, fail to authenticate in offline mode, forcing me to
go online. I don't know if it's true for every steam game, but it was for Left
4 Dead 2.

Go offline for a month. See if you can play Left 4 dead 2 after that month.

 

[magellan]

Monopoly: I have a product that you have, I can't sell that exact same product ANYWHERE, because you want to maximize your profits. Any idiot who can't see this is a monopoly for profit needs to have their head examined.

 

[dyckah]

It's not like I'm using these old games. Hell, most new games are about as deep as a finger bowl so after it's ten hours of entertainment time are used up, there's no point in owning it anymore (or playing it).

What would you say if you could no longer sell used movies, or "used" music? Because you "licensed it" instead of buying it?

Does Origin and Xbox Live also disallow selling used PC games?

I can sell/buy used copies of Windoze 7 and Windoze XP but not a freakin' video game?

Valve is being sued in the EU for their terms of service regarding used PC games:

http://www.gamebreaker.tv/game-indu...o-sell-our-used-games-on-steam-in-the-future/

I hope they stick it to the fat greedy bastage and his company.

oh, you mean like after you buy it on itunes? or similar stores?

 

[EarthDog]

Monopoly: I have a product that you have, I can't sell that exact same product ANYWHERE, because you want tnotaximize your profits. Any idiot who can't see this is a monopoly for profit needs to have their head examined.

I think you need a reminder on what exactly a monopoly is.

http://www.investopedia.com/terms/m/monopoly.asp

Now, once you had a look at that or any other definition, can you tell me how this remotely looks like one? Before you answer, make sure you read post 40 again...

*Steam has competition in Origin (to name just one). So a consumer has a choice of which type of 'cloud' provider. A choice? That doesn't sound like a monopoly...lol!

*Most games, you do not need to purchase from steam or origin in the first place so there are other choices which is is also an antithetic trait of a monopoly.

*Developers also have a choice to use steam or origin or another provider or none at all to sell their games through. You are not required to use one or the other. Again, a choice, not a trait of a monopoly.

*Pricing is not inflated. Yet another reason it isn't a monopoly.

So to summarize, there is two(or more) of the same business competing against each other in the same market. Ddevs can choose to use them or not, and you, the consumer also has the same choice to use them or not as well. Perhaps there are exclusive titles but this is where their TOS comes in. You are not buying a game with the ability to resell it across any of these providers. That is not a right under the law as it stands. That ability is governed by the rules of the company you bought the game/license for. And last, pricing. It's not remotely out of line. So with all this in mind, and a refresh of what a monopoly actually is, can you explain why you believe simply not being able to sell a game makes something a monopoly? I have to be honest mags, I feel like we are in a Jerry Springer type situation where a member of the panel keeps blurting out the word 'ignorant' but repeatedly uses it wrong.

Edit: Just a note, that group that sued, tried this already in 2010, and it was dismissed. The article I read (as your link is not direct to an article) stated ALL digital providers do not allow one to resell. So, perhaps while you are on your high horse make sure you are yelling broadly, to everyone, and not just Steam, lol! Meanwhile we will continue to understand what we got into, and the tremendous benefits that using such a service provides us.

 

[Janus67]

Agreed ED. Just because Steam is the only way you can play Half-Life2 (for example) doesn't make it a monopoly as there are other digital games distribution sites and methods, even if the exact product you want isn't with the other.

 

[rainless]

For the final... authoritative... and, oh yes, TEAM RAINLESS word on this:

No you may not sell Steam games.

Yes... while used PC software fell into steep decline in the U.S., you may sell absolutely anything that you physically own, from pets, to livestock, and yes CDs, DVDs, and Music.

Pirating is selling things that you DON'T own. A game publisher (or District Attorney for that matter...) would have a hard time prosecuting you for selling your store-bought copy of Modern Warfare 3 (or giving it to your cousin.)

Valve suing you for selling copies of Steam games (or just rescinding your rights) is an open-and-shut case.

There's no gray area here.

Used PC games are still extremely popular outside of the U.S. And still available even within the U.S. (mostly at pawn shops).

I'm unaware of an individually-owned physical product that cannot be sold. There was some banter a while back about either Microsoft or Sony say you don't technically own their 360/PS3... but look how THAT turned out. (Anybody seen a used 360 or PS3? I thought you did...)

 

[magellan]

For the final brainless word on this. there is a lawsuit pending, not in the monopoly friendly USA, but in Germany about JUST THIS ISSUE. I hope they
win and stick it to valve.

 

[kyfire]

I'm referring here to games that have media and aren't downloaded. I just re-installed Call of Duty: MW3 and noticed it said this game is permanently assigned to this account. So does that mean I can never sell it?

NOTE: Bolding in quote is by me.

I'm not aware of ANY Steam games that have actual media (ie: CD or DVD) ALL Steam games are downloaded from Steam. Yes, you have the OPTION to register a retail game with media on Steam but it is NOT required.
Bottom line is if you purchased the game from/on Steam...NO you can't resell it.
As for the German lawsuit....even IF Valve loses it will only benifit those living in the EU!

 

[Supertrucker]

Actually many games require steam regardless of where purchased. Because they use steam as their drm. Games like tomb raider or bioshock infinite or fall out new Vegas. And they all clearly say on the outside of the box, visible without opening it, that they require steam. I bought tomb raider on origin, but it is a steam game so I don't launch it through origin I launch it through steam. And origin required games like battlefield or mass effect 3 bind to your private unsellable account just like steam games.

I'm personally willing to trade the ability to sell used games in exchange for amazing sales, no media to lose, amazing sales, self patching games, amazing sales, less terrible drm (anybody remember the original bioshock drm that limited the number of installs a game key was good for), and amazing sales.

Would I prefer it if I could gift off games I own to other steam users, you bet. Do I think that would, in the end raise our of pocket costs for everyone buying games on steam, sadly I do. Part of the reason games show up so cheap on steam is because they don't get resold/traded/lent out.


Edit: to clarify, I'm assuming about bioshock infinite and tomb raider because as I understand it they are steam games but I bought them digitally. I am not assuming about fallout new Vegas, I own the hard copy of that. Bought it at Wal-Mart, and the outside of the box has the steam stuff on it saying it's required.

 

[magellan]

"Amazing sales" I wonder how much more amazing they would be if they had competition.

I bought the latest CoD title, whatever it is, it had media.

I don't mind so much not being able to sell used games, but I used
to trade used games w/my friends. I'd swap AvP for Undying. Or maybe
I'd just give him a game I never played anymore, say, Dead Space. This
is what my real beef is. I can't even give away steam games anymore, because
it cuts into Valve's bottom line. If the CoD title I had bought had said, on the
cover, you can never give away or sell this game ever, I wouldn't have bought it. I hope Germany wins their case against valve.

 

[Janus67]

Their sales would probably be worse. How good of prices do you see from GameStop/best buy/wal-mart with their games? You are lucky to see 50% off even on a used game.

You can hope for failure all you want, but it was agreed upon in the EULA you said yes to prior to installation. And frankly the overwhelming majority of people wish every game was available on steam as it is by far the best digital distribution service for games and community.

Sorry you couldn't give your game away to a friend, although if you'd read a bit you would see valve is in the process of allowing games to be loaned to a friend/family (if the publisher agrees to it).

 

[rainless]

NOTE: Bolding in quote is by me.

I'm not aware of ANY Steam games that have actual media (ie: CD or DVD) ALL Steam games are downloaded from Steam.

You're absolutely, totally, and completely wrong.

Ever heard of... (this is going to take a while...)

1. Half Life
2. Half Life 2
3. All Half Life and Half Life 2 Expansions
4. The Orange Box
5. Portal
6. Portal 2
7. Left 4 Dead
8. Left 4 Dead 2
9. Empire Total War (absolutely required steam)

ALL of these and hundreds more were available at retail in CD/DVD form.

And you can sell those CDs/DVDs to your heart's content... but the serial number they may have come with is non-transferrable. (And you usually needed to download the whole game again anyway... which was especially a pain in Empire Total War.)

Now BEFORE you registered the serial number you could sell it like any other game. The reason being that the agreement requires a Licensor and a Licensee. And you don't have that before you've connected the serial number with your steam account. And the only way to get a new serial number would be to purchase the game again on Steam.