Can You Sell Your Steam Account? A Comprehensive Guide
The short answer is a resounding no. Selling your Steam account is a direct violation of the Steam Subscriber Agreement (SSA) and comes with serious consequences. Steam accounts are intended for the personal, exclusive use of the individual who created them. But let’s delve deeper into the reasons why, the potential ramifications, and what you can do with your digital assets on Steam.
Why Selling Your Steam Account is Prohibited
The prohibition against selling Steam accounts stems from several core principles that Valve, the company behind Steam, employs to protect its platform, users, and game developers. These principles ensure a safe and fair gaming environment for everyone involved.
First and foremost, it’s about account security. When accounts are bought and sold, the original owner’s information is compromised, creating opportunities for fraud, identity theft, and other malicious activities. Steam wants to be able to ensure that your account is used by you. A history of account trading is often used to determine if an account is being used by its original owner.
Secondly, it addresses the issue of intellectual property rights. When you purchase a game on Steam, you’re not actually buying the game in the traditional sense. Instead, you’re purchasing a license to play the game on your Steam account. This license is non-transferable, meaning you can’t legally transfer it to someone else by selling your account.
Thirdly, it preserves the integrity of the Steam ecosystem. Allowing account sales would create a black market where prices could be artificially inflated, and unscrupulous individuals could exploit the system for financial gain. This would undermine the fairness and accessibility of the Steam platform for legitimate users.
Consequences of Selling a Steam Account
If Steam detects that an account has been sold, traded, or otherwise transferred, the consequences are severe. The most common and impactful consequence is permanent account closure. This means:
- Loss of access to all games purchased on the account: All the games you bought, even if hundreds, will no longer be accessible to you.
- Loss of Steam Wallet funds: Any money remaining in your Steam Wallet will be forfeited.
- Inability to create new accounts: In some cases, Steam may restrict your ability to create new accounts in the future.
- Potential legal action: While rare, Valve reserves the right to pursue legal action against individuals who repeatedly violate the Steam Subscriber Agreement.
It is also important to realize that both the seller and the buyer are at risk. Even if the buyer unknowingly purchased a Steam account that was originally acquired through illegitimate means, they will still lose access to the account if Steam detects the violation.
The Risks for the Buyer
Buying a Steam account is just as risky, if not more so, than selling one. Here’s why:
- No guarantee of ownership: You have no legal right to the account, and the original owner could potentially reclaim it.
- Potential for scams: The seller could simply take your money and disappear without providing access to the account.
- Risk of malware: You may be exposed to malware or other security threats when dealing with untrustworthy individuals.
What You CAN Do With Your Steam Items
While you can’t sell your entire Steam account, you can sell certain Steam items on the Steam Community Market. These items include:
- Trading cards
- Emoticons
- Backgrounds
- In-game items (for specific games)
To determine if an item is tradable or marketable, check its details in your Steam Inventory. The “Tags” section will indicate whether it’s tradable, marketable, or both. However, remember that the maximum price of a single listing on the market is capped at $1800 (or equivalent in other currencies).
Steam Fees for Selling Items
When selling items on the Steam Community Market, Valve charges a fee. This fee consists of two parts:
- Steam Fee: 5% of the item’s sale price (minimum of $0.01).
- Game-Specific Fee: A fee determined by the game developer, applied in addition to the Steam Fee.
Alternatives to Selling Your Steam Account
If you’re looking to get rid of your Steam account because you no longer use it, consider simply disabling it. This will prevent anyone from accessing the account and its contents. While you won’t receive any money, you’ll avoid violating the Steam Subscriber Agreement and risking permanent account closure.
It’s important to understand that digital distribution is more like “renting for life”. Games added to your library are activated for your specific account and cannot be transferred to another user. You can explore the field of game creation, design, and its impact on society through organizations such as the Games Learning Society at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/ or GamesLearningSociety.org, but selling your account is off the table.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are 15 frequently asked questions about selling Steam accounts:
1. Is it legal to sell Steam accounts?
Technically, the legality is complex and depends on your jurisdiction. However, regardless of legality, it’s a violation of the Steam Subscriber Agreement (SSA), which gives Valve the right to terminate your account.
2. Can you give your Steam account away?
No. Buying, selling, trading, or even gifting a Steam account is a violation of the Steam Subscriber Agreement (SSA).
3. Can I sell my Steam account on eBay?
No. It is against Steam’s rules to sell a Steam account or any Steam game keys.
4. Can you resell on Steam?
You can resell certain Steam items (e.g., trading cards, in-game items) on the Steam Community Market, but you cannot resell entire games from your library or the Steam account itself.
5. Can I sell my Steam game to someone else?
No. Once a game is added to your Steam library, it’s activated for your account and cannot be transferred or sold to another user.
6. How much can you sell on Steam?
While you can sell items on the Steam Community Market, there’s a limit of $1800 (or equivalent in other currencies) for the maximum price of a single listing.
7. Is it safe to buy old Steam account?
No. Buying a Steam account is risky because the account could be locked by Steam, and you have no guarantee of ownership.
8. Does Steam give back stolen accounts?
Yes. If your Steam account is stolen, you can try to self-recover it or contact Steam Support for assistance. They will verify your ownership and help you recover the account.
9. Can you get banned for scamming Steam accounts?
Yes. If Steam detects that you are scamming other users, your account will be banned from using the Steam Community, including trading and the Steam Market.
10. Can you get banned for buying a Steam account?
Yes. Accounts which have been bought, sold or traded will be restricted.
11. Does Steam take 30% of sales?
Valve takes 30% of game sales on Steam initially. That percentage decreases to 25% after the game earns $10 million in sales and to 20% after it reaches $50 million.
12. What is the “Steam Transaction Fee”?
The Steam Transaction Fee is collected by Steam to protect against fraud and cover the development costs of Steam economy features. It’s currently 5% of the item’s sale price (with a minimum fee of $0.01).
13. Can I sell my Steam account and games?
No. Steam accounts cannot be bought or sold. An account is for the personal use of its creator only.
14. Is it legal to sell gaming accounts?
Account trading is an illegal practice in which everyone loses, both the buyer and the seller.
15. Does eBay ban IP?
EBay suspends you based on the IP address connected to your account, so you’ll need a new IP address to stop losing money. Connect to a CyberGhost VPN server and easily change your IP address. In just a few clicks, you’ll be able to create a new account–eBay won’t have a clue you’re the same person.