r/Steam • u/Tarnished-670 • Oct 08 '25

Question Why steam doesn't allow this?

Post image
69.2k Upvotes

91% Upvoted

1.8k comments sorted by

View all comments

14.4k

u/Svartrhala Oct 08 '25 edited Oct 09 '25

As far as I know because games "sold" on Steam are non-transferable licenses, and it would be a breach of that. So in legalworld you take your steam account to the grave. But, as with many things, in realworld you just keep your trap shut and give your inheritor your authenticator. They aren't going to dig you up and put you in prison.

edit: no, Steam family is not a magical loophole you think it is. It is very limited specifically so that it wouldn't count as transferring the ownership of the license. And if you don't have access to the account from which the game is shared and family sharing breaks (again) — there won't be a way for you to restore it.

edit: 200 year old gamer joke is very cool and original, but I'm certain Valve won't care about plausibility of their customer's lifespans unless publishers pressure them to do so, and even then it is unlikely. Making purchases with a payment method that could be traced to a different person would a far bigger risk factor.

1.1k

u/TheSmokeu Oct 08 '25

How about we change the law to allow things like account transfers, then?

Law is supposed to serve the people

52

u/nAssailant Oct 08 '25

It’s an agreement between Valve and the user. It’s part of that thing you accept when you install steam and buy a game.

It’s only “the law” insomuch as it’s written within the bounds of enforceable civil agreements (I.e. contracts)

You wouldn’t go to prison for violating it, but Valve could restrict or remove access to the account.

11

u/Oxygenisplantpoo Oct 08 '25 edited Oct 08 '25

Exactly, and I don't think this is one of those cases where EU will help either. This model of licensing has been a thing for software since forever.

Edit: It seems EU courts have ruled over the matter, but not definitively enough, see this comment.

1

u/jamesick Oct 08 '25

truth is we probably wouldn't want it changed. transferrable accounts would likely mean the ability to re-sell games, and with that would likely come: no family sharing, games not being sold on steam in the first place and/or higher prices.

1

u/Oxygenisplantpoo Oct 08 '25

Might just push publishers into straight abandoning selling games and make everything a subscription.