What can I do about this clause?

{'method': 'WEB_FORM', 'recipient': 'https://support.steampowered.com/newticket.php', 'difficulty': 'MODERATE', 'action_type': 'CLOSE_ACCOUNT', 'instructions': 'If you wish to close your account before Valve terminates it (to retain any applicable refund rights), submit a support request through the Steam support portal. Note that account closure does not automatically entitle you to refunds for previously purchased content.', 'deadline_days': None, 'deadline_hours': None}

Which regulatory agencies enforce this type of clause?

{'agency': 'FTC', 'reason': "The FTC can investigate whether Valve's broad unilateral termination rights and associated content forfeiture constitute unfair trade practices under FTC Act Section 5.", 'complaint_url': 'https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/'}, {'agency': 'State_AG', 'reason': 'State AGs can investigate termination without refund provisions and potential violations of state consumer protection and unclaimed property laws related to Steam Wallet forfeitures.', 'complaint_url': 'https://www.naag.org/find-my-ag/'}

What is the severity of this clause?

ConductAtlas classifies this Account Termination and Content Revocation clause as high severity. Severity reflects the magnitude of rights affected, the breadth of users impacted, and the degree of discretion the platform retains.

Account Termination and Content Revocation — Steam

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What it is

Valve can shut down your account for any reason it decides, and when it does, you lose access to all your games, in-game items, and any money sitting in your Steam Wallet. There is no guaranteed refund process for previously purchased content.

Consumer impact (what this means for users)

If Valve terminates your account — even for disputed or minor violations — you permanently lose access to all purchased games, downloadable content, in-game items, and any Steam Wallet balance, with no explicit refund obligation stated in the Agreement.

What you can do

⚠️ These actions may provide transparency or partial mitigation but may not fully address the underlying issue. Effectiveness varies by jurisdiction and individual circumstances.

Close Your Account

If you wish to close your account before Valve terminates it (to retain any applicable refund rights), submit a support request through the Steam support portal. Note that account closure does not automatically entitle you to refunds for previously purchased content.

Cross-platform context

See how other platforms handle Account Termination and Content Revocation and similar clauses.

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Why it matters (compliance & risk perspective)

Account termination is effectively irreversible and results in total loss of all digital assets and stored wallet funds, creating significant financial risk for users with large Steam libraries.

View original clause language

Valve may cancel your account or a particular Subscription for any conduct that Valve believes is in violation of this Agreement or otherwise harmful to Valve's business, or for any other reason, in Valve's sole discretion. In such case, your Account and Subscriptions, including any unredeemed Wallet funds, may be terminated by Valve. [...] In the event that Valve disables access to a Subscription, you will not be able to access that content.

Institutional analysis (Compliance & legal intelligence)

REGULATORY FRAMEWORK: This provision engages FTC Act Section 5 (unfair practices where termination without proportionate process results in significant financial loss); GDPR Art. 17 (right to erasure vs. account termination distinction); EU Consumer Rights Directive 2011/83/EU (proportionality requirements for contract termination); Washington State Consumer Protection Act RCW 19.86; and potentially state money transmission laws regarding forfeiture of Steam Wallet balances. The FTC and state AGs are primary enforcement authorities for US users; EU DPAs and national consumer protection authorities for EU users.

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Applicable agencies

FTC

The FTC can investigate whether Valve's broad unilateral termination rights and associated content forfeiture constitute unfair trade practices under FTC Act Section 5.
File a complaint →
State AG

State AGs can investigate termination without refund provisions and potential violations of state consumer protection and unclaimed property laws related to Steam Wallet forfeitures.
File a complaint →

Provision details

Document information

Document

Steam Subscriber Agreement

Entity

Steam

Document last updated

April 29, 2026

Tracking information

First tracked

April 18, 2026

Last verified

April 18, 2026

Record ID

CA-P-002919

Document ID

CA-D-00181

Evidence Provenance

Source URL

https://store.steampowered.com/subscriber_agreement/

Wayback Machine

View archived versions →

SHA-256

50755f81522ed919eb180755a4517649cb9d59401e7c9a3de1e2701b84171d9d

Verified

✓ Snapshot stored ✓ Change verified

How to Cite

ConductAtlas Policy Archive
Entity: Steam | Document: Steam Subscriber Agreement | Record: CA-P-002919
Captured: 2026-04-18 10:51:33 UTC | SHA-256: 50755f81522ed919…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/steam/steam-subscriber-agreement/account-termination-and-content-revocation/
Accessed: May 2, 2026

Classification

Severity

High

Account Termination and Content Revocation