So say that the Steam service is one day shut down for whatever reason. Do you think that before Valve stops support for the platform they would release a patch or something to allow me to "free" all my games from Steam as it were. So that I can still play all the games I've purchased over it even when it's gone? Totally hypothetical but just a random thought that came into my head as I bought a couple games of Steam just now.

Probably. As they are still 'your' games as I understand it, so valve can't just take them away.

I don't think Steam will ever shut down, so you ain't got much to worry about.

Yes, they've discussed this before somewhere. I think they said something about a 'patch' or sending you physical copies. Either way, your games will always be YOUR game.

" Probably. As they are still 'your' games as I understand it, so valve can't just take them away. "

Steam isn't going anywhere unless Microsoft somehow bans them from operating on Windows. But you don't have anything to worry about, they will let you play your games if it ever exploded. I expect to be long dead when that happens...

Probably. But I don't see Steam shutting down any time soon. But knowing Valve, even if they do announce that Steam is shutting down, it will probably be a decade or so years before they actually go ahead with it.

Valve should buy Onlive and merge it with Steam.

The games are licensed to you.  More to the point, Valve is seemingly printing money with steam, so it doesn't matter?

I know it doesn't really matter. It was just a thought that came to me. Cheers for the replies.

" Probably. As they are still 'your' games as I understand it, so valve can't just take them away. "