Steam limits the total amount they can ever be required to pay you for any harm caused by their service to just $5. This applies even if you have spent hundreds or thousands of dollars on games and content.
This analysis describes what Steam's agreement states, permits, or reserves. It does not constitute a legal determination about enforceability. Regulatory applicability and practical outcomes may vary by jurisdiction, enforcement context, and individual circumstances. Read our methodology
The clause operates to restrict the financial exposure Valve assumes under the agreement by categorically excluding certain damage categories and capping aggregate liability at a fixed amount, which affects the remedies available to users in dispute resolution.
The updated agreement no longer explicitly discloses that Steam Wallet funds held by Japanese users will expire six months after being added, or that expiration dates can be reviewed in the Steam Wallet. The removal of this disclosure eliminates the transparency mechanism previously available to Japanese subscribers regarding fund expiration timelines and monitoring options. Japanese law may still impose expiration requirements on stored funds regardless of contractual disclosure, but the agreement no longer notifies users of this expiration mechanism.
View change record →The removal of explicit liability limitation language reduces transparency about Valve's liability caps, though such limitations may still be enforceable under other terms or law.
View full change record →Valve caps its total liability to any individual user at $5.00 USD regardless of how much money that user has spent on Steam or how significant the harm caused, leaving consumers with virtually no meaningful financial recourse for service failures or content loss.
How other platforms handle this
To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Kit shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential or punitive damages, or any loss of profits or revenues, whether incurred directly or indirectly, or any loss of data, use, goodwill, or other intangible losses, resulting ...
To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Pinterest shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or any loss of profits or revenues, whether incurred directly or indirectly, or any loss of data, use, goodwill, or other intangible losses, res...
You will remain responsible for any amounts you fail to pay in connection with your subscription, including collection costs, bank overdraft fees, collection agency fees, reasonable attorneys' fees, and arbitration or court costs.
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"TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, VALVE, ITS LICENSORS, AND ITS AND THEIR AFFILIATES SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT OR THE STEAM SERVICE OR CONTENT AND SERVICES, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER VALVE HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. [...] IN NO EVENT SHALL VALVE'S TOTAL LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ALL DAMAGES (OTHER THAN AS MAY BE REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE LAW IN CASES INVOLVING PERSONAL INJURY) EXCEED THE AMOUNT OF FIVE U.S. DOLLARS (USD $5.00).— Excerpt from Steam's Steam Subscriber Agreement
REGULATORY FRAMEWORK: This provision implicates FTC Act Section 5 (unfair practices where a $5 liability cap effectively eliminates meaningful consumer recourse); California Consumer Legal Remedies Act Civil Code §1751 (which voids contract provisions limiting liability for consumer goods or services); EU Directive 93/13/EEC on unfair contract terms (Art. 3, where significant imbalance between parties' rights may render the clause unenforceable); and EU Digital Content Directive 2019/770 (which provides mandatory conformity remedies that a $5 liability cap cannot contractually override). Washington State Consumer Protection Act RCW 19.86 is also engaged.
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The clause operates to restrict the financial exposure Valve assumes under the agreement by categorically excluding certain damage categories and capping aggregate liability at a fixed amount, which affects the remedies available to users in dispute resolution.
Valve caps its total liability to any individual user at $5.00 USD regardless of how much money that user has spent on Steam or how significant the harm caused, leaving consumers with virtually no meaningful financial recourse for service failures or content loss.
ConductAtlas has identified this type of provision across 266 platforms. See the full comparison.
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