STEAM® SUBSCRIBER AGREEMENT
This Steam Subscriber Agreement ("Agreement") is a legal document that explains your rights and obligations as a Subscriber. Please read it carefully.
If you are a Subscriber whose primary residence is in one of the member countries of the European Union (an “EU Subscriber”), your Subscriber relationship is with Valve S.a.r.l. (“Valve EU”). For all other Subscribers, your Subscriber relationship is with Valve Corporation (“Valve US”). Except as otherwise indicated at the time of purchase (such as in the case of purchases from another Subscriber in a Subscription Marketplace), any purchases you make are being made from the Valve entity that you are contracting with. Unless otherwise set forth in the below terms, any reference to “Valve” in this Agreement shall mean Valve EU if you are an EU Subscriber, and shall mean Valve US if you are any other Subscriber. Any reference to “Valve” in any Rules of Use or Subscription Terms shall, if and as the context requires, mean Valve EU, if you are an EU Subscriber, and shall mean Valve US otherwise.
SECTION 11 CONTAINS A BINDING ARBITRATION AGREEMENT AND CLASS ACTION WAIVER. IT AFFECTS YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS. PLEASE READ IT.
1. REGISTRATION AS A SUBSCRIBER; APPLICATION OF TERMS TO YOU; YOUR ACCOUNT
Steam is an online service offered by Valve.
You become a subscriber of Steam ("Subscriber") by installing the Steam client software and completing the Steam registration. This Agreement takes effect as soon as you indicate your acceptance of these terms.
As a Subscriber you may obtain access to certain services, software and content available to Subscribers. The Steam client software and any other software, content, and updates you download or access via Steam, including but not limited to Valve or third-party video games and in-game content, and any virtual items you trade, sell or purchase in a Steam Subscription Marketplace are referred to in this Agreement as “Content and Services”; the rights to access and/or use any Contents and Services accessible through Steam are referred to in this Agreement as "Subscriptions."
Each Subscription allows you to access particular Content and Services. Some Subscriptions may impose additional terms specific to that Subscription ("Subscription Terms") (for example, an end user license agreement specific to a particular game, or terms of use specific to a particular product or feature of Steam). Also, additional terms (for example, payment and billing procedures) may be posted on http://www.steampowered.com or within the Steam service ("Rules of Use"). Rules of Use include the Steam Online Conduct Rules http://steampowered.com/index.php?area=online_conduct and the Steam Refund Policy http://store.steampowered.com/steam_refunds. The Subscription Terms, the Rules of Use, and the Valve Privacy Policy (which can be found at http://www.valvesoftware.com/privacy.htm) are binding on you once you indicate your acceptance of them or of this Agreement, or otherwise become bound by them as described in Section 8 (Amendments to this Agreement).
When you complete Steam’s registration process, you create a Steam account ("Account"). Your Account may also include billing information you provide to Valve for the purchase of Subscriptions. You may not reveal, share or otherwise allow others to use your password or Account except as otherwise specifically authorized by Valve. Any use of your Account with your login and/or password is deemed made by you and you are responsible for it and for the security of your computer system. Valve is not responsible for the use of your password and Account or for all of the communication and activity on Steam that results from use of your login name and password. You may not sell or charge others for the right to use your Account, or otherwise transfer your Account, nor may you sell, charge others for the right to use, or transfer any Subscriptions other than if and as expressly permitted by this Agreement (including any Subscription Terms or Rules of Use) or as otherwise specifically permitted by Valve.
2. LICENSES
A. General Software License
Steam and your Subscription(s) require the automatic download and installation of Content and Services onto your computer. Valve hereby grants, and you accept, a non-exclusive license and right, to use the Content and Services for your personal, non-commercial use (except where commercial use is expressly allowed herein or in the applicable Subscription Terms). This license ends upon termination of (a) this Agreement or (b) a Subscription that includes the license. The Content and Services are licensed, not sold. Your license confers no title or ownership in the Content and Services. To make use of the Content and Services, you must have a Steam Account and you may be required to be running the Steam client and maintaining a connection to the Internet.
For reasons that include, without limitation, system security, stability, and multiplayer interoperability, Steam may need to automatically update, pre-load, create new versions of or otherwise enhance the Content and Services and accordingly, the system requirements to use the Content and Services may change over time. You consent to such automatic updating. You understand that this Agreement (including applicable Subscription Terms) does not entitle you to future updates, new versions or other enhancements of the Content and Services associated with a particular Subscription, although Valve may choose to provide such updates, etc. in its sole discretion.
B. Beta Software License
Valve may from time to time make software accessible to you via Steam prior to the general commercial release of such software ("Beta Software"). You are not required to use Beta Software, but if Valve offers it, you may elect to use it under the following terms. Beta Software will be deemed to consist of Content and Services, and each item of Beta Software provided will be deemed a Subscription for such Beta Software, with the following provisions specific to Beta Software:
Your right to use the Beta Software may be limited in time, and may be subject to additional Subscription Terms;
Valve or any Valve affiliate may request or require that you provide suggestions, feedback, or data regarding your use of the Beta Software, which will be deemed User Generated Content under Section 6 (User Generated Content) below; and
In addition to the waivers and limitations of liability for all Software under Section 7 (Disclaimers; Limitations on Liability; No Guarantees) below, you specifically acknowledge that Beta Software contains errors, is not final and may create incompatibilities or damage to your computer, data, and/or software. If you decide to install and/or use Beta Software you shall only use it in compliance with its purposes, i.e. for testing and improvement purposes and in any case not on a system or for purposes where the malfunction of the Beta Software can cause any kind of damage. In particular, maintain full backups of any system that you choose to install Beta Software on.
C. License to Use Valve Developer Tools
Your Subscription(s) may include access to various Valve tools that can be used to create content ("Developer Tools"). Some examples include: the Valve software development kit (the "SDK") for a version of the computer game engine known as "Source" (the "Source Engine") and the associated Valve Hammer editor, The Source® Filmmaker Software, or in-game tools through which you can edit or create derivative works of a Valve game. Particular Developer Tools (for example, The Source® Filmmaker Software) may be distributed with separate Subscription Terms that are different from the rules set forth in this Section. Otherwise, you may use the Developer Tools, and you may use, reproduce, publish, perform, display and distribute any content you create using the Developer Tools, however you wish, but solely on a non-commercial basis.
If you would like to use the Source SDK or other Valve Developer Tools for commercial use, please contact Valve at sourceengine@valvesoftware.com.
D. License to Use Valve Game IP in Fan Art.
Valve appreciates the community of Subscribers that creates fan art, fan fiction, and audio-visual works that reference Valve games ("Fan Art"). You may incorporate content from Valve games into your Fan Art. Except as otherwise set forth in this Section or in any Subscription Terms, you may use, reproduce, publish, perform, display and distribute Fan Art that incorporates content from Valve games however you wish, but solely on a non-commercial basis.
If you incorporate any third-party content in any Fan Art, you must be sure to obtain all necessary rights from the owner of that content.
Commercial use of some Valve game content is permitted via features such as Steam Workshop or a Steam Subscription Marketplace. Terms applicable to that use are set forth in Section 3.D. and 6.B. below and in any Subscription Terms provided for those features.
To view the Valve video policy containing additional terms covering the use of audio-visual works incorporating Valve IP or created with The Source® Filmmaker Software, please click here: http://www.valvesoftware.com/videopolicy.html
E. License to Use Valve Dedicated Server Software
Your Subscription(s) may contain access to the Valve Dedicated Server Software. If so, you may use the Valve Dedicated Server Software on an unlimited number of computers for the purpose of hosting online multiplayer games of Valve products. If you wish to operate the Valve Dedicated Server Software, you will be solely responsible for procuring any Internet access, bandwidth, or hardware for such activities and will bear all costs associated therewith.
F. Ownership of Content and Services
All title, ownership rights and intellectual property rights in and to the Content and Services and any and all copies thereof, are owned by Valve US and/or its or