Page:Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Valve Corporation (No 3).pdf/14

 Valve's provision of video games to consumers

The process of installing Steam and purchasing a video game

13 There are three discrete processes that a consumer must follow to obtain games Valve offers on Steam. First, they must download and install the Steam Client. Secondly, they must create a Steam account. Thirdly, they must download and install a game.

14 The first step in obtaining games from Valve is that a consumer goes to the Steam website and clicks on the hyperlink "Install Steam". A process then follows by which the consumer installs the Steam Client to the consumer's computer. Steam Client is a software program without which video games cannot be played (ts 97).

15 During that process the consumer is taken to a window entitled "License Agreement". The preamble to the Licence Agreement contains a reference to the SSA, which appears as a blue hyperlink. To continue the installation, the consumer must click on a box beside the words "I accept the licence agreement AND I am 13 years of age or older".

16 After installation, a pop up window appears notifying the consumer that Steam has been installed. An icon also then appears on the consumer's desktop.

17 Consumers can also access the SSA online by a link on the Steam website. When they click on this link, they are taken to a webpage which holds the terms and conditions of the SSA. This webpage is stored on the Washington Servers. The SSA is published (and made accessible to customers) in 21 different languages.

18 The second step towards obtaining and using a Steam game is that the consumer must have a Steam account. A consumer can create a Steam account either on the Steam website or through the Steam Client. When the Steam Client is used to open an account, a new window opens containing the SSA. The consumer must agree to the SSA before being taken to a window entitled "Create a Steam Account". From there, the consumer can choose an account name and password, and must enter an email address. Clicking the "Next" button will take the consumer back to their desktop.

19 The third step towards obtaining and using a Steam game is to download a game. By opening the Steam Client, the consumer will be taken to their "Library" within Steam. This displays all the Steam video games that the consumer has purchased and downloaded. Within the consumer's library, there is a "Store" where games can be purchased or downloaded. The consumer can search through the games in the Store, access game developer information,