Valve says it's cracking down on big key requests to combat Steam skulduggery

[DrunknMunky Veteran]

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Valve says it's cracking down on big key requests to combat Steam skulduggery

August 17, 2017 | By Alex Wawro

 

A Valve representative followed up with Gamasutra today to confirm that yes, the company is more closely scrutinizing devs' outsized requests for Steam keys in an effort to combat people using them as "a way to manipulate Steam systems." 

 

This helps explain a recent warning from Valve staffer Sean Jenkin that the company may be declining devs' requests for Steam keys if the request significantly outmatches the game's sales on Steam.

 

It's a bit of fresh light on what may be a time-worn practice (Valve has reportedly declined to fulfill odd key requests in the past), and a follow-up comment from Valve lays out why it's coming up now: the company is trying to stop people from putting games on Steam for any reason other than to be played.

 

"Over the last few years, new features and additions to Steam have changed the way Steam keys were being used, for instance as a means for game-shaped objects to monetize on Steam through methods other than actually selling fun games to customers. Most notably, this meant farming Steam Trading Cards," wrote the representative, alluding to the company's recent nerf of the Steam Trading Cards system.

 

Continues...

[+Red King Subscriber²]

Removing the "trading cards" and all gambling systems would've been a better solution.

[Mando]

agreed J.X its scary how easy it is to farm the trading cards then sell them on for steam cash.

 

*cough* idlemaster *cough*