While the gaming world is going through turbulent times, an unexpected ban on Steam has been overturned. Valve’s digital game store was blocked in Vietnam last week. Gamers in the country were denied access to their libraries.
Vietnam imposed a ban on Steam
No official reason was given for Steam’s ban. However, reports from the country suggested that it may be linked to tensions with local game publishers in Vietnam. According to a local publisher, Steam has been publishing games in Vietnam without permission from government authorities.
This apparently led to a breach of rules in the gaming industry. Steam’s rule-breaking is said to be unfair to local publishers. It was also stated that if left unchecked, the store could threaten the local gaming market.
Gamers have been voicing their concerns on forums and social media since the beginning of the week. Users who can only access their library with a VPN think that the government should not interfere in the gaming industry. Still, it should be noted that the banning decision has not yet been announced.
Valve is reportedly exploring options in the country. However, both sides will need to reach an agreement for players to regain access to their Steam libraries.
Steam has also been on the agenda recently with a change in its refund policy. Under the early access program, players could play for hours before the release date and then return it. Valve has made changes to its refund policy to prevent abuse. Early Access and Advanced Access games can now only be returned if they have not been played for more than two hours.
Do you agree with this decision? Let us know in the comments below.
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