Two years ago, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) launched a legal challenge against Valve over its treatment of Australian users of its Steam service. The rationale was that due to the company’s explicit policy of refusing to give refunds to buyers of goods that may be defective, Valve was in violation of Australia’s consumer laws.
Back in March, the Australian Federal Court agreed with the ACCC. Valve had explicitly breached the country’s laws. Then, just before Christmas, a final ruling was handed down. The Seattle-based business must pay the Commonwealth of Australia a sum of $3 million AUD (or approximately $2.2 million USD). Not only is this figure significantly higher than Valve's proposed fine of $250,000 AUD, but the online retailer will also have to inform Australian Steam users of their consumer rights and guarantees.
So, what, exactly, does this mean for Australian consumers, or potentially even buyers of digital games as a whole? What are the ramifications of this legal battle, and what sort of a precedent has been established?
Before I dive into this article, I will admit that -- as the only Australian contributor on a website that primarily targets a U.S. audience -- the idea of providing a more detailed write-up of a legal battle that’s centred on the laws of this nation may come across as a little unorthodox. While this type of content might not seem to be in the interests of much of Destructoid’s readership -- as it’s not about a subject that’s as close to some as some may like -- I believe there are intriguing potential ramifications from this court case. It can also serve as a decent stepping stone to a much broader discussion about consumer affairs and the digital distribution of video games.
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