I'm trying to figure this out: can Valve really lock me out of my game legally?
That's crazy if so.
I'm betting if people lawyer-up, this is going to one of the many numerous reasons for people suing Valve.
I have no qualms about not using Steam anymore because I don't agree to their new terms, but I should be able to play DX:HR since I didn't buy it through there. If the publisher is using Steam as DRM, whatever, but I should still be able to play regardless of whether or not I accept Valve's terms for their Steam service.
Oh, I agree w/ you 100%. I especially feel that way about SP-based portions of games - that I should (eventually) be able to play them on my own without any DRM surrounding it - once the game is old; the game is often cheap; and no longer gets official support
Problem is, Steam acts like a service here - when buying a Steam-required game at retail, you are basically agreeing to their SSA and their terms. You have to tolerate their DRM; you have to run their program in the background for most games; you will have to keep your OS, your game, and the Steam client up-to-date; and etc etc. Whether specific EULA's (which is basically what you are agreeing to) like SSA are even fully enforceable by USA Law here, that could also be another matter entirely. Most EULA's...well, they're often pretty ridiculous, anyways.
We could also get back into the discussion of - "Is buying a Steam-required game a rental or purchasing a game to keep forever?" I've been saying for years, that back when HL2 forced Steam on us as a requirement, it's more or less a rental; even more so true if Steam goes out of business and they do not pull their DRM out. In general, most kinds of DRM often makes games feel like rentals, anyways...especially when there's online activation involve -- i.e. see troubles people had w/ activating Risen 1 online recently and Amazon DVG will still selling game, so Deep Silver pulled the DRM; see troubles of gamers activating X3: Terran Conflict during a Steam XMas sale a few years back, before extra Tages DRM got removed).
Another matter is - so many PC games these days, they just flat-out require Steam. So, you often have little choice - either buy the game or don't. Hence why I try to buy so many games so cheaply.
I did see some information today that said Valve did concede on one point: they will pay for your arbitration whether you win or lose (as long as the claim is not determined to be frivolous). That's a step in the right direction.
Agreed.
Yes they did Pug. "Submit or be fucked" is my read on their answer.
That's also how I read it.
This could be the tipping point, for some gamers to finally turn against Steam - to flat-out sue Steam; and/or stop using their products; and/or maybe even (gasp!) pirate their products.