Steam could be heading into another period of legal scrutiny, following a $900m ruling in the UK after being accused of “rigging the market.”
Now, Turkey is looking to dramatically change how global digital game platforms operate within the country. If adopted, the proposed legislation would not only affect Steam, but also Epic Games Store and other major storefronts, unless they agree to comply with significantly stricter content regulation and oversight.
What the proposed law would change for players, platforms, and developers
Turkey may soon require digital platforms such as Steam and the Epic Games Store to establish a legal entity or official office within the country. Platforms would also need to appoint a locally based representative responsible for compliance and communication with authorities.
If the proposal moves forward, Turkey would grant enforcement powers to the Information and Communication Technologies Authority, including the ability to throttle platform bandwidth by up to 90%. At that level, download speeds would be so restricted that access to games would become effectively unusable.
The draft law would also introduce mandatory age ratings for games sold to Turkish IP addresses. Titles without recognised classifications could be removed from sale, raising the risk of large portions of digital libraries disappearing.
The legislation was drafted by Turkey’s Family and Social Services Ministry and is currently under review by ministry officials and relevant committees.
Industry estimates suggest that up to 60% of Steam’s catalogue could become inaccessible if the law is enacted. The impact would fall most heavily on independent developers, many of whom lack the funds or resources to secure official age ratings.
Xbox could potentially fall within the scope of this legislation, especially on PC, as the proposal is not platform-specific. Instead, it targets digital storefronts as a whole, meaning applicability would depend on how each service is classified under Turkish law.
In Microsoft’s case, the outcome would likely hinge on whether it views Turkey as a market worth the added regulatory and operational costs. With Xbox accounting for less than 10% of Microsoft’s total revenue, it is possible the company may decide that establishing additional local compliance infrastructure is not a priority if the legislation is passed.
As reported on by turkiyetoday, the legislation still remains as a draft, and there is currently no planned timeline for changes.
Do you think global game platforms should comply with Turkey’s proposed rules, or would the cost outweigh the benefits for both companies and players? Let us know in the comments and make sure to take part in our poll below:
Follow Windows Central on Google News to keep our latest news, insights, and features at the top of your feeds!
