Latest Steam update forces you to give up your legal rights

[MrPopo]

Here's some more bullshit in the Subscriber Agreement I hadn't noticed until now:

"9. AMENDMENTS TO THIS AGREEMENT

Yup, this has been there since day one.

[isiolia]

Here's some more bullshit in the Subscriber Agreement I hadn't noticed until now:

And it's all par for the course.

Here's Nintendo's for example.

Article 13: Current Agreement and Update

We may change the terms and conditions of this agreement, the Wii Code of Conduct, or the Wii Privacy Policy, at any time. A current version of this agreement will be available on the Internet at http://support.nintendo.com. If you do not have Internet access, you may contact our customer-service department, and we will mail you a current version of this agreement, free of charge. We will post notice on http://support.nintendo.com if the agreement is changed at least 5 days before the changes become legally binding. If you do not agree to these changes, you must cancel your Wii Network Service in accordance with this agreement. If you do not have Internet access, you should periodically contact our customer-service department and ask whether there have been any changes to the agreement since the last version you obtained.

Or how about Netflix?

Changes to Terms of Use

Netflix reserves the right, from time to time, with or without notice to you, to change these Terms of Use, including the Privacy Policy and EULA, in our sole and absolute discretion. The most current version of these Terms of Use can be reviewed by visiting our website and clicking on "Terms of Use" located at the bottom of the pages of the Netflix website. The most current version of the Terms of Use will supersede all previous versions. We will endeavor to post prior version(s) on our website when the Terms of Use are updated. You can see changes from previous versions of the Terms of Use that we have posted by visiting our website and clicking here.

(incidentally, they also do not allow class-actions)

Seriously, you can pull up near any EULA and find a similar clause, and of course plenty of others serving to protect whatever company produced the product or service you're using.

Realistically, Steam offers a relatively cheap luxury service that has little or no chance of endangering your health or safety. By that logic, what could Valve really do that would warrant a class action in the first place? They have clearly stated, actually fairly generous provisions for individual customer complaints...and if they actually break the law, they're not exempt from actions by government agencies.
Were they selling something like, say, cars, where gross negligence could result in injury or death, then being required to sign an agreement waiving them of responsibility would be unsettling (at least most of the time). For games...not so much.

[D.D.D.]

It really feels like a mountain out of a molehill considering that you were fine with them being able to amend the agreement in the first place.

I never said I was "fine" with that. My main issue with EULAs that say (can amend anytime) is that they typically don't define their duration for their license/rental/xxxx and technically at any given point, there is the possibility that the permission to play is gone. If Wiiware/VC (or PSN/XBLA/Steam/etc) listed, "Super Mario Bros, NES, $5, 3-year license", that would be clear and fair. If you want to agree to those terms, buy and play. If not, don't. But it's not clear nor fair so yeah~ Sometimes you gotta just suck it up and say "okay" to a EULA because you want to play what's offered, not necessarily because you actually agree to it. Besides, there's likely not a time-switch inside the Wii that if I don't log on to the shopping channel that my "bought" games will expire so I won't go to the shopping channel and all will likely be fine for my old system.

Regardless, the long and short of it is, likely nothing will happen to JT's Steam games because Steam will probably be around for a long time.

So there's this great thing called the internet. On the internet you can find ways to circumvent the copy protection of EVERYTHING. Even online-only games like MMOs will get private servers set up. All it takes is time.

Why pay for anything in the 1st place then? And why take ANY agreement seriously.

True. Pirating content typically does benefit the gamer wholly while a Steam-like service benefits the seller and most consumers.

[MrPopo]

So there's this great thing called the internet. On the internet you can find ways to circumvent the copy protection of EVERYTHING. Even online-only games like MMOs will get private servers set up. All it takes is time.

Why pay for anything in the 1st place then? And why take ANY agreement seriously.

Because you want stuff to come out. If no money flows in then the content dries up.

[AmishSamurai]

So there's this great thing called the internet. On the internet you can find ways to circumvent the copy protection of EVERYTHING. Even online-only games like MMOs will get private servers set up. All it takes is time.

Why pay for anything in the 1st place then? And why take ANY agreement seriously.

Because you want stuff to come out. If no money flows in then the content dries up.

^This

[CRTGAMER]

In Steam's case, I do find some value in the easy access to the game selection.

I installed disc based Half Life 2 ages ago when I discovered the mandated Steam interface and HATED it. The wait load a front end just to wait load a game afterwards. However, your statement makes sense, perhaps many do not want to deal with installing games, just click on the purchase button and have the game seamlessly install into the interface. Considering the "rental" fragility, what is so hard about installing a disc based game?

[MrPopo]

Your "load the frontend" complaint really doesn't hold much water. I leave Steam on all the time.

[CRTGAMER]

Your "load the frontend" complaint really doesn't hold much water. I leave Steam on all the time.

For my older PC, a resource hog. Just another thing to load when turning on the PC.

[MrPopo]

If Steam is a resource hog then you must have a VERY old PC.

[CRTGAMER]

If Steam is a resource hog then you must have a VERY old PC.

Agree, it is an older desktop. I have not tried Steam on my newer Laptop since I don't care for the DRM aspect. To confirm how much difference on your PC, take it off the startup menu, then try loading it and timing it. Also try this while on a slow public server, say at a Starbucks and see the slowdown when you just want to browse and not play a game. If you have a fast computer and a good connection not an issue, just not for me.

@ J.T. - Good for you to stand the ground, hopefully Valve will give you a waiver, at least for the games you already bought.