When you buy a game on Steam, you are not buying the game itself — you are buying a license to play it that Valve can take away. If Valve suspends or terminates your account, you lose access to all games and content you have paid for.
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
This provision defines the legal basis for user access as a revocable license rather than a property right, establishing that Valve retains all ownership and control of the Software. The structure enables Valve to modify, restrict, or terminate access based on the account termination clause that follows.
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 combined version was split into separate provisions, but this removes the specific language about Valve's unilateral discretion to cancel for 'any reason' from the license section.
View full change record →Consumers who have spent significant money on Steam games can lose access to their entire digital library if Valve terminates their account for any reason in Valve's sole discretion, with no requirement for refund of previously purchased content.
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"Valve hereby grants, and you accept, a limited, terminable, non-exclusive license and right to use the Software for your personal, non-commercial use (the "License"). The Software is licensed, not sold. Your License confers no title or ownership in the Software. [...] 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.— Excerpt from Steam's Steam Subscriber Agreement
REGULATORY FRAMEWORK: This provision implicates EU Directive 2019/770 on digital content and digital services (Arts. 7, 14 on conformity and remedies); EU Consumer Rights Directive 2011/83/EU Art. 16 (exceptions to withdrawal right once digital content delivery begins); FTC Act Section 5 (deceptive practices if purchase is marketed as buying a game when it is a revocable license); California Consumer Legal Remedies Act (CLRA) Civil Code §1750 et seq.; and Washington State Consumer Protection Act RCW 19.86. The FTC and EU consumer protection authorities are the primary enforcement bodies.
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This provision defines the legal basis for user access as a revocable license rather than a property right, establishing that Valve retains all ownership and control of the Software. The structure enables Valve to modify, restrict, or terminate access based on the account termination clause that follows.
Consumers who have spent significant money on Steam games can lose access to their entire digital library if Valve terminates their account for any reason in Valve's sole discretion, with no requirement for refund of previously purchased content.
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