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PayPalUpdate: Valve has now taken it down.
Here's a "fun" one for you. The developers behind the free and open source RTS named 0 A.D. (pronounced “zero-ey-dee”) have announced that someone (they don't know who) has put it up on Steam.
This is sometimes the perils of open source, as there's a lot of people out their looking to make a quick-buck and they don't care who they burn in the process. To be clear, the version of 0 A.D. that has released on Steam (with it missing the second dot in the name), is not actually from the people who make the game — even though Wildfire Games are listed as the developer on Steam it's not them. Confusing right? Valve allowed it and approved it, so it does make me curious what legal checks are even done for this to happen.
I was notified of this on Twitter, with the official 0 A.D. account tweeting:
Turns out the only reason @YouTube added the game back is because somebody uploaded 0 A.D. to @Steam without our consent. It also explains the typo in the name…
Another tweet sent today by the 0 A.D. team:
IMPORTANT: The person who released the game on steam today is charging 8€ for it. Please do not buy it. The game is free and always will be. It might contain viruses and other malware.
I imagine it doesn't have anything nefarious inside it, otherwise you really would have to wonder what Valve are doing…
Looking on the official game forum there's a topic asking about it, the developers seems to be at a loss as to what is happening.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Quoting: dziadulewiczThat said, SuperTux does not launch on Linux in Steam because its a AppImage package and problems related to that. It's quite ironic that SuperTux does not work OOTB on LinuxIt works fine on Linux in Steam: it was the second game I installed on the Deck. The appimage had problems only if you were using flatpak Steam.
Quoting: psyminLooks like the 0 A.D. folks ran into a similar issue that the MultiMC folks ran into.
Overly permissive licensing that allows people to do things with it that they didn't anticipate.
It is unfortunate.
But guys developing Thrive game somehow figured out how to publish game on Steam.
https://revolutionarygamesstudio.com/releases/
QuoteMaking it available here as implications on the moderation and the server load of the lobby and its limited resources that should not be taken lightly. It also has some implications for the future of the game concerning reviews which could doom its opportunities. The project is not done yet and it will continue to evolve.
Quoting: eroldrucan we even report it?
Of course - i just did.
Really annoying that scumbags like this exist.
It's not just ripping the devs of, but damaging the project in multiple ways.
As the project lead writes in the Steam forums:
QuoteI'm the project leader of this game and I'm saddened I wasn't consulted for this. There are reasons 0 A.D.: Empires Ascendant is not on steam yet.
Making it available here as implications on the moderation and the server load of the lobby and its limited resources that should not be taken lightly. It also has some implications for the future of the game concerning reviews which could doom its opportunities. The project is not done yet and it will continue to evolve.
"contain viruses and malware" (cit.)
Last edited by kokoko3k on 20 October 2022 at 4:49 pm UTC
BlackBloodRum Oct 20, 2022
QuoteI imagine it doesn't have anything nefarious inside it, otherwise you really would have to wonder what Valve are doing…Never assume an application is clean, even if you're on Linux. Like seriously.
Too many Linux users just assume that because they're on Linux they can't be hacked or get a virus. That's simply a fallacy, if you download a dodgy application on Linux, it can take control of your Linux box just like it could with a windows box.
Remember, the weakest security link is always the user.
Don't believe me? Look up ransomware for Linux. Also, don't forget technically speaking the strongest forms of DRM are technically spyware and rootkits and Steam allow those.
So don't assume everything is clean just because you're on Linux.
SlickMcRunFast Oct 20, 2022
Maybe the official devs can do it like the VR app OVR, https://store.steampowered.com/app/1009850/OVR_Advanced_Settings/. They have a free download and a donation "DLC".
If there's no single ownership and someone publishes it in any other form, like on a CD or floppy, or posts it on a BBS or even on a forum.. nobody would bat an eye, even ethically. I'm just wondering whether this is different or if there's a case. It's interesting!
Last edited by Miles on 20 October 2022 at 5:33 pm UTC
Quoting: MilesWhile it's ethically sus, is that illegal or even against any of the game's open source license or Steam agreements/rules?The copyright holder can choose to dual-licence their code - GPL and Steam's EULA in this case. No one else can take GPL code and slap additional restrictions on the end user. That's a copyright violation.
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