Valve has the terms of use of Steam is adjusted. This states that ‘Valve and the user in case of problems together until a solution should come”. Users would also no class action lawsuit more.
In a statement let Valve know that Steam users for the terms and conditions now only ‘individual claims and not class action-claims submission. According to Valve, there for the consumer a lot of disadvantages to a class action claim. “In too many cases, class actions, no solution for the user but is correct for unnecessary cost and delay,” says Steam. Especially the lawyers would ‘benefit’ from this type of litigation. “Class actions provide no benefit to us or the community.” In the United States tensioning users often class-action lawsuits against companies in which other clients can connect to a lawsuit.
The new rules also apply to the Netherlands. Recently, Steam has an office in Luxembourg and separate terms and conditions for Europeans. In these terms and conditions state also that ‘Valve, and the user waive the right to litigation to fight for a court. Also here the user indicates together with Steam to a solution to seek, or otherwise to start a business via an arbitration panel.
The extent to which this addition to the terms and conditions in the Netherlands, is not clear. Valve says: “If the agreement is illegal or unenforceable, the agreement shall be invalid and all claims and disputes will be resolved in the courtroom.” In the United States, conditions are still valid. The supreme court ruled in another case that companies using a contract can prevent customers from class action lawsuits start.
If the user is an individual claim of up to $ 10,000, and he put in the right, will Valve take the ‘filing fee’ and the costs of arbitration to pay. Another condition for this allowance is that the arbitrator finds the claim is not ‘frivolous’ should be labelled or that the required costs are ‘unreasonable’. Also the claims should be filed with the American Arbitration Association. Users can also choose to have the claim at the court to lay down, but then they can not count on compensation of Steam’.
Valve is not the first company through the terms of use class action lawsuit try. In 2011, Sony similar conditions, so that the users of the Playstation Network, renounced their ‘right’ to a class-action case to start. Also Electronic Arts has for his service, Origin, a phrase included that users of this right deprives.