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Now, players can take Valve to court. Steam’s parents update their policies and eliminate extrajudicial agreements in the United States – PC

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The lawsuits against large companies are not something that catches us off guard. We have seen individual or even group movements, like that well-known lawsuit of dozens of players against CD Projekt RED for Cyberpunk 2077 three years ago. Now, in an unexpected move, Valve has updated its Steam Subscriber Agreement to remove the clause that required disputes to be resolved through arbitration, allowing the player to take the company to court through state agencies if they so choose.

Valve was not in an Olympus of companies where “mortals” could only look from afar and do nothing. However, the Steam Subscriber Agreement established that any user who wished could take actions against the company itself through arbitration, a right by which a dispute is resolved without resorting to the usual legal bodies. Additionally, class action lawsuits were also not allowed, so the update to these agreements has not gone unnoticed.

A victory for American gamers

The removal of arbitration by Valve can be seen as a response to the growing pressure from consumers and critics advocating for a more accessible and fair legal system. According to Polygon, the Economic Policy Institute points out that arbitration often forces consumers to face a “privatized forum” where they are less likely to prevail. Now, Steam users have the option to file their grievances in court, which could increase the company’s accountability.

Valve’s decision is also part of a broader context of litigation, where several law firms have begun to explore “mass arbitrations,” in which hundreds or thousands of consumers file individual complaints against the same company simultaneously. This approach has led some companies to face pressure to resolve disputes collectively, rather than handling each case individually. But what about Europe? The truth is, as we have mentioned, this affects the United States, as in the old continent, arbitration between user and company is considered an Out-of-Court Mediation.

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The future of the relationship between Valve and its users could change significantly with this new policy. While most users are unlikely to take the company to court, the fact that they now have the option to do so, even collectively, could alter the balance of power in the relationship between the company and its consumers. This change underscores a movement towards greater transparency and fairness in the gaming industry, an aspect that could have lasting repercussions in the industry.

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