r/Steam • u/ashesnbones • 14h ago

Question Steam bait-and-switch pricing - legal?

https://imgur.com/7CAbhwM

I created a discussion on the Steam discussion page for Last Man Sitting but basically, as you can see in the screenshot (the faded background), the price for "Co-op Arena Shooter Bundle" (Complete Your Collection) displays on the Steam store as $1.99 for me but when I click "Add to Cart" it changes to $9.98 and I'm told I will not receive an extra copy of "Friends vs. Friends". The problem is I own that game as it clearly knows, and should get the Complete-Your-Collection discount. Steam support says its a different game but clearly its not. I bought Friends vs Friends at Humble Bundle in November Choice 2023, registered it in November 2023, tested it today to see that it's fully updated and operational. It shows my play time on the page for it as well.

Yet support says the system "the system does not recognize that [I] own the game" and they cannot "prevent this from occurring". My question is, is it even legal to do this - show one price, then suddenly switch it? I wouldn't have caught it if my Steam wallet funds didn't cover the higher price.

It seems to me it's THEIR store, the code is there to see what I own beforehand and even in the cart popup it acknowledges that I own the game! what the h?

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29

u/velocity37 14h ago

This is an old Steam bug where if game+dlc are a single item in a bundle, store says you own if you own game but not DLC but cart corrects. Why Steam hasn't fixed it after years of complaints (commonly complained about with Devil May Cry, ARMA 3, etc.) is anyone's guess.

But the funny thing about your situation is the drama is being caused by a free DLC you don't own in that bundle

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2464010/Friends_vs_Friends_Babas_Laundromat/

Just claim that free DLC and you'll get the advertised price.

8

u/ashesnbones 14h ago

holy sh-- you're right! Adding that DLC fixed the pricing issue. Thank you!

2

u/NeoChrisOmega 13h ago

I wonder if it's a complicated bug, if it happens so i frequently that they deam it a small issue, or they're aware that fixing it will lose them money that lawsuits might not chase after 

1

u/Pizzaman3203 13h ago

Wow how did you know this

1

u/velocity37 12h ago

It's just an old issue. When the cart says "You will not receive an extra copy of x" for a bundle it means that the version of the game in the bundle is in a package with unowned DLC (e.g. Deluxe when you only own base). It just so happens in this case that the DLC is free on its own lol.

You can look up bundles on SteamDB to see exactly what packages they contain, and all apps granted from those packages. For OP's example https://steamdb.info/bundle/72972/#apps

1

u/Pizzaman3203 12h ago

Ah ok thanks because in that bundle it didnt mention dlc came with it

1

u/RetroSquadDX3 10h ago

My question is, is it even legal to do this

Nobody can answer that unless you first tell us where you are.

•

u/ashesnbones 2m ago

USD not enough of a clue?