„Valve has to to do something about it.” Major Steam Workshop crisis sparks modding community alarm over troll invasion

Valve is facing growing challenges with Steam. In July, Steam began censoring its most extreme erotic content - and now it’s grappling with major problems in the Steam Workshop, a platform used for installing mods.

1. In this case, the problem stems from trolls who exploit DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) procedures to file bogus copyright claims against mods.
2. Examples of such attacks include mods like UI Overhaul Dynamic for Stellaris, the Chinese version of Perfect Wallpaper for Wallpaper Engine, Stormdark UI for Terraria, PropHunt (Hide’n’Seek) for Garry’s Mod, and xdReanimsBase for Left 4 Dead.
3. In each case, Valve issues a warning to the mod’s creator and requests proof that their work doesn’t infringe on anyone’s rights.

In practice, a simple declaration from the mod’s creator is usually enough. This way, Valve can wash its hands of the matter, leaving the applicant with the option of pursuing their case in court. At first glance, this might seem like enough protection against trolls, but in reality, it’s not that simple.

Problematic DMCA on Steam

Many mods are old, and their creators might never even see Valve’s messages - whether because they’ve moved on from Steam, changed accounts, or simply aren’t active anymore. First and foremost, fighting a DMCA claim means handing over personal information - something many creators simply aren’t willing to do. Streamers face similar risks, as DMCA takedowns are sometimes weaponized to get their personal information.

The worst part is, Valve can't really do much about it. Players are calling on Valve to step in, saying that almost every game with Workshop support is now a target for these troll attacks - but as an online content distributor, Steam is legally bound to follow DMCA rules.

Modder arguments

It’s worth noting that most of these Steam Workshop claims are baseless - but the DMCA often ends up being wielded as a weapon in conflicts between moderators themselves.

One example is the Hearts of Iron IVmod Loong Rising from Darkness. It’s based on an older mod called The Fire Rises. The teams behind both projects began arguing some time ago, and the conflict escalated to the point where The Fire Rises developers filed a DMCA complaint against the other team.

Eventually, the two teams smoothed things out - at least on the surface - but the DMCA claim itself was never withdrawn. As a result, the Loong Rising from Darkness team filed their own DMCA claim against The Fire Rises. As a result, now both projects are locked in the DMCA process.

• Steam
• Valve
• Steam Workshop
• mods / fan projects (games)