# Would Steam ban me for using Pirated games/"add to library"?



## q_q (Aug 13, 2014)

a


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## machomuu (Aug 13, 2014)

Nope.  As far as Steam is concerned, they're just names.  Feel free to add what you want, pirated or otherwise.


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## q_q (Aug 13, 2014)

Alright, added all my games to my steam library.


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## migles (Aug 13, 2014)

it is fine, but i do think the cracks will have some problems if you use steam ripped games (i remember i had a conflint)

if steam really wanted to ban you playing pirated games, they could make the client inspect every exe you launch (just like an AV) and ban you when a cracked game was found.


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## the_randomizer (Aug 13, 2014)

migles said:


> it is fine, but i do think the cracks will have some problems if you use steam ripped games (i remember i had a conflint)
> 
> if steam really wanted to ban you playing pirated games, they could make the client inspect every exe you launch (just like an AV) and ban you when a cracked game was found.


 

How well does adding emulator to it work? Would that cause issues?


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## migles (Aug 13, 2014)

the_randomizer said:


> How well does adding emulator to it work? Would that cause issues?


 
well, i have this in my memory, in the past i downloaded a game, i added into steam client, the game was left 4 dead or half life, i dont remember which one. but i do remember it had steam dlls in the game directory, i added into steam client and the game couldn't be launched and showed some kind of error, i guessed the dlls were in conflict, but this didn't caused any other secondary effect (i am still not banned in any way)


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## Pagio94 (Aug 14, 2014)

sudoku173 said:


> Hello. On steam, I have ALOT of games on my account and my brothers. We both play pirated games (Portal, kerbal space program, ect). If I use the "Add non steam game to library" feature and add my Pirated Games (steam detects them in the list) would I lose both my accounts? I just added BF3 (legit copy) and it worked fine.


You'll have problem if you redeem a pirated code. It's a lot risky


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## Clarky (Aug 14, 2014)

the_randomizer said:


> How well does adding emulator to it work? Would that cause issues?


 
people have made frontends and lauchers for emulators on Steam that work fine


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## the_randomizer (Aug 14, 2014)

clarky said:


> people have made frontends and lauchers for emulators on Steam that work fine


 

Good to know that


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## machomuu (Aug 14, 2014)

the_randomizer said:


> How well does adding emulator to it work? Would that cause issues?


 
It'll generally work fine, though you have to add the game specifically.  But I've added Dolphin, PPSSPP, and PCSX2 games (so, when I click a specific game from the list and will launch the emulator and the game automatically) and they've worked perfectly, even with Steam overlay.


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## CompassNorth (Aug 14, 2014)

Pagio94 said:


> You'll have problem if you redeem a pirated code. It's a lot risky


Only thing that happens is that the game gets removed from your account.


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## Mario92 (Aug 14, 2014)

If it's Steamworks game that's pirated I simply wouldn't take the risk. What I have heard friend tried it it does tell that you are in non-steam game, but overlay doesn't work. That's the price you have to pay for not buying the legit version.
Haven't pirated in years thanks to job and super cheap games so I can't enlighten that issue any further.

As for anything other I don't think so. Steam client shouldn't send any other information about the program forward other than the name of shortcut. You can even add calc.exe as non-steam game and name it to something like "Call of Duty®: Advanced Warfare: Closed Beta"

I personally haven't used non-steam shortcuts in awhile because of Steams bug always forgetting added games. Not sure have they fixed it yet but haven't bothered to find out.


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## Duo8 (Aug 18, 2014)

machomuu said:


> It'll generally work fine, though you have to add the game specifically. But I've added Dolphin, PPSSPP, and PCSX2 games (so, when I click a specific game from the list and will launch the emulator and the game automatically) and they've worked perfectly, even with Steam overlay.


 
How?


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## Subtle Demise (Aug 18, 2014)

Duo8 said:


> How?


I imagine with batch files and command line arguments for the specific emulators


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## Subtle Demise (Aug 18, 2014)

Duo8 said:


> How?


I imagine with batch files and command line arguments for the specific emulators


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## machomuu (Aug 18, 2014)

Duo8 said:


> How?


 
You have to direct it to the emulator and then, in separate quotes, the path to the game itself.


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## CompassNorth (Aug 18, 2014)

Duo8 said:


> How?


"C:\Users\[User here]\Location\.exe" "C:\Users\[User here]\Location\.rom" 
I think


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## lismati (Aug 18, 2014)

There was a case of people getting banned on Steam by playing a pirated version of HL2, I think.
But I haven't heard anything about bans from adding pirated games to the library, and I doubt they exist.


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## natkoden (Aug 18, 2014)

Valve won't disable an Steam account just because. Adding shortcuts to your games is not worthy of a disabled account. Just think that you're adding a simple shortcut. You could've bought that game in GOG, physical format or any other platform. The client won't scan the files to see if there's anything weird. It just won't happen.

Also, Valve only bans you if you cheat on a VAC protected game (Source games and some CoD games). So, no, you won't get banned in a million years for doing this.

To cover more terrain, if you buy a CDKey outside of steam (you know what I mean) they won't disable the account EVER or remove the game. They will remove the game SOMETIMES if it was activated via VPN.


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## Joe88 (Aug 18, 2014)

natkoden said:


> Also, Valve only bans you if you cheat on a VAC protected game (Source games and some CoD games).


actually you just receive a VAC ban, so you will not be able to play online on any server using VAC, you can still play your steam games, buy games, trade, ect...
getting a steam ban would require more serious actions such as using stolen credit cards to purchase games, directly editing steam client files (such as trying to add steam games to your account you did not purchase), phishing, and using hacked clients


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## natkoden (Aug 19, 2014)

Joe88 said:


> actually you just receive a VAC ban, so you will not be able to play online on any server using VAC, you can still play your steam games, buy games, trade, ect...
> getting a steam ban would require more serious actions such as using stolen credit cards to purchase games, directly editing steam client files (such as trying to add steam games to your account you did not purchase), phishing, and using hacked clients


 

VAC bans are game based.

If you get banned in MW3, you can still play (online) other games, including the other CoD games. You only get banned in that particular game.

Getting a ban in a goldsrc game means you'll get banned from all the games using goldsrc since the ban is engine based. This was the same with Source games (TF2, CSS, CSGO, etc) but they changed it sometime ago.

And the ban only covers the multiplayer portion of the game. You can still run the game and in the case of TF2, connect to a non-secured VAC server.

And to clarifiy, to get banned in any of these games or engines, you need to be running a injector/program that modifies core game files while you're playing in a VAC secured server.

So, if you're running a cheat for TF2 while you play, let's say, Saints Row 4, you won't get banned from SR4 (that game isnt VAC bannable) or TF2. You can also be running the cheat while on TF2 menu. You won't get banned. You need to establish a connection with a VAC secured server for VAC to be running.

So running pirated copies of games and software and adding them to your library won't get you banned.


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## Hells Malice (Aug 21, 2014)

natkoden said:


> VAC bans are game based.
> 
> If you get banned in MW3, you can still play (online) other games, including the other CoD games. You only get banned in that particular game.
> 
> ...


 
When did they change their policy? because last i checked VAC bans were indeed global. You're either banned or you're not, it's not specific. At least, that's how it used to be when I played CSS avidly a few years back. Hell when Dark Souls 2 released it was announced anyone with VAC bans would be unable to use DS2 online functionality.


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## naddel81 (Aug 21, 2014)

according to valve there are only a handful of games with VAC protection. that means: in other games I can cheat all day long?


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## Hells Malice (Aug 21, 2014)

naddel81 said:


> according to valve there are only a handful of games with VAC protection. that means: in other games I can cheat all day long?


 
If it's an online game, they likely have their own protections, so no. If it's an offline game, you can cheat in any of them. Doesn't really matter. VAC protection is only on online games, and only if you cheat while online.


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## naddel81 (Aug 21, 2014)

So I could go offline, edit my save game and reconnect to steam?


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## Arras (Aug 21, 2014)

naddel81 said:


> So I could go offline, edit my save game and reconnect to steam?


Yeah, probably. But generally that wouldn't be all that useful.


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## naddel81 (Aug 21, 2014)

Because I cannot use my modded saves online?


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## natkoden (Aug 21, 2014)

Hells Malice said:


> When did they change their policy? because last i checked VAC bans were indeed global. You're either banned or you're not, it's not specific. At least, that's how it used to be when I played CSS avidly a few years back. Hell when Dark Souls 2 released it was announced anyone with VAC bans would be unable to use DS2 online functionality.


 

Read their FAQs. You're greatly misunderstood.

VAC bans WERE engine specific, they changed it recently so now bans are GAME specific, UNLESS it's a goldsrc game.

Again, read their FAQs. It's not like it's hidden to the consumer.


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## natkoden (Aug 21, 2014)

naddel81 said:


> So I could go offline, edit my save game and reconnect to steam?


 

No need to go offline, just close the game so the changes take effect.

Again, Valve won't check if you're editing your save games for a Steam game or a non-steam game. They only check for specific code while you're connected to a VAC secured server.

Every single steam user would be banned if that weren't the case. We all have pirated games/software on our computers.



naddel81 said:


> Because I cannot use my modded saves online?


 

Define online.

Online as in connected to steam? Yes, you can.

Online as in connected to the multiplayer portion? Yes, you can. Depends on the game, but for most games, SP and MP are separated.

Either way, you're totally safe.

Valve doesn't give a crap about saves/achievements or what happens in your SP session.


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## naddel81 (Aug 21, 2014)

I just want to mod my save or use cheatengine to change some values in memory. Does VAC or something similar strike here?


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## Vanth88 (Aug 21, 2014)

From my understanding certain VAC games(like Dark Souls 2 for ex) will ban you if you edit your save and play online regardless if you cheat offline.

I can't be sure because I wouldn't risk it but I cheat all the time in non vac games. The only VAC game that I have(or at least am aware of) is Dead Island and it gives you the option to disable VAC which I assume means you could cheat in that game as long as you don't use VAC? IDK and again I wouldn't risk it.


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## naddel81 (Aug 21, 2014)

Okay thanks for your reply. Because Dead Island is the I wanted to mod.


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## Mario92 (Aug 21, 2014)

naddel81 said:


> So I could go offline, edit my save game and reconnect to steam?


 
That's why most online multiplayer games store your data on server side as well/only. 
Keep in mind modding save or config files isn't same as modding games files. Save and config are modified all the time, main games files are the one that should always match what you have downloaded from valves servers. As for something like Dead Island it's coop game, so nobody gives a damn if you modify save file. I actually did change my character afterwards as for some reason all four players decided to choose same character and didn't want to change and starting from zero in middle wasn't good idea.


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## sweis12 (Sep 16, 2014)

Ive added alot of pirtated games, like san andreas and I never got a ban.


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## Sora de Eclaune (Sep 16, 2014)

I'd say if you can get it on a site that isn't Steam, then it's okay to link with Steam. With that, as far as Steam is concerned you could've got it from a DRM-free alternative, like GOG or on disc or something.


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## Deleted User (Apr 19, 2018)

so if i pirate a game and take all the dlls from another free game and if i play it its says im playing the free game so steam sees that i playing the free game. but im playing the Pirated one. Also Sorry im late


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## Tom Bombadildo (Apr 19, 2018)

Z3DS said:


> so if i pirate a game and take all the dlls from another free game and if i play it its says im playing the free game so steam sees that i playing the free game. but im playing the Pirated one. Also Sorry im late


Try to avoid bumping 4 year old threads.


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