Steam Workshop Legal Agreement: What You Need to Know
If you`re a gamer who loves to customize game content, you`re probably familiar with the Steam Workshop. This platform allows users to create and share modifications, also known as “mods,” for games available on Steam. However, before you start creating and sharing mods, you need to understand the legal agreement of the Steam Workshop.
The Steam Workshop Legal Agreement is a binding contract agreed upon by Steam users who upload and download content from the Workshop. It outlines the terms and conditions for uploading and subscribing to mods, as well as the ownership and intellectual property rights involved in creating and sharing game content.
Ownership and Rights
One important aspect of the agreement is the ownership and rights of the content uploaded to the Workshop. The agreement states that “you retain all ownership rights in the intellectual property in your User Generated Content.” This means that as the creator of a mod, you own the content and have the right to control its distribution.
However, the agreement also grants Valve Corporation (the company that owns Steam) a “non-exclusive, transferable, sublicensable, royalty-free, worldwide license” to use, copy, modify, and distribute your content in connection with the Steam Workshop. This means that Valve can use your content for marketing purposes, promote it on Steam, and sublicense it to other users.
Subscriptions and Payments
The agreement also covers subscriptions and payments for mods. If you upload a mod, you can choose to make it free or charge other users for access. Valve takes a percentage of the revenue generated by paid mods, while the remaining revenue goes to the creator.
However, the agreement states that Valve is not responsible for any payments owed to you by other users for your content. If a user fails to pay for a subscription or payment, it is up to you to take legal action against that user.
Content Guidelines
Finally, the Steam Workshop Legal Agreement includes guidelines for content uploaded to the platform. Mods must comply with all laws, regulations, and industry standards, and must not infringe upon the rights of others. Mods must also not contain any obscene or offensive material, hate speech, or encourage illegal activity.
In Conclusion
The Steam Workshop Legal Agreement is an important document that anyone who uses the Steam Workshop should read and understand. It outlines the ownership and rights involved in creating and sharing game content, as well as the guidelines for uploading and subscribing to mods. By abiding by the agreement, you can ensure that your content is protected and that you are paid for the work you do.