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A Potential Lawsuit Against Valve Might Have You Rethinking The Value Of Steam Sales
AppWizard
July 3, 2026

A Potential Lawsuit Against Valve Might Have You Rethinking The Value Of Steam Sales

The Consumer Competition Claims Foundation (CCC), a Dutch nonprofit organization, has filed a class action claim against Valve, alleging that the company's practices are stifling competition in the PC gaming market and inflating game prices. The CCC claims that Valve enforces price-parity agreements through contracts and peer pressure, preventing game developers from offering lower prices on competing platforms. They argue that Valve's 30% commission on sales restricts studios from setting their own prices, leading to higher costs for consumers. The CCC is also concerned about Valve's requirement for microtransactions to go through the Steam Wallet, which incurs an additional 30% commission, and the practice of region-locking keys. They are seeking €220 million in damages for affected Dutch players. The CCC is currently exploring an amicable resolution with Valve and is encouraging individuals to support their cause by signing up on the GameClaim website. The CCC's claims extend beyond direct Steam purchases, affecting the entire market. The likelihood of a successful lawsuit is uncertain, as the CCC has a mixed track record in previous cases. Valve has faced legal challenges in the past, including a penalty in 2016 for misleading consumer representations, and ongoing lawsuits regarding its market dominance.
ESA Lobbyist Calls Private Minecraft Servers Illegal During Hearing
AppWizard
June 30, 2026

ESA Lobbyist Calls Private Minecraft Servers Illegal During Hearing

Jennifer Gibbons, Vice President of State Government Affairs at the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), stated during a California State Senate hearing that community servers for Minecraft and Call of Duty are "illegal" and equate to "piracy." She mentioned that the ESA has pending lawsuits against private servers and that the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has identified some private servers as notorious markets for piracy. Gibbons' comments were challenged by Assemblyman Chris Ward, who noted the existence of community servers for both games. An ESA representative later clarified that Gibbons was responding to a complex question and that private servers hosting copyrighted content without authorization infringe on the intellectual property rights of game publishers. The ESA reported a total revenue of ,614,556 in the fiscal year ending March 2025, with ,804,681 from member dues.
ESA Claims Private Minecraft Servers Are 'Illegal' and 'Piracy' in Stop Killing Games Hearing
AppWizard
June 30, 2026

ESA Claims Private Minecraft Servers Are ‘Illegal’ and ‘Piracy’ in Stop Killing Games Hearing

The California State Senate hearing on the Protect Our Games Act raised questions about the legality of private Minecraft servers. Assemblyman Chris Ward noted that games like Minecraft and Call of Duty have successfully used community servers, while Jennifer Gibbons from the ESA argued that these servers are illegal and unapproved by Microsoft, labeling them as piracy. Gibbons stated that the ESA has two lawsuits against private servers for infringing on intellectual property rights. In contrast, Minecraft's official stance encourages the creation of third-party servers, which are vetted for compliance with community standards. The ESA maintains that private servers infringe on publishers' rights. The USTR's Notorious Market Report referenced by Gibbons does not specifically target community servers for connecting friends but focuses on those bypassing subscription services. The Protect Our Games Act did not advance but will be reconsidered. An ESA representative later clarified that private servers hosting copyrighted content without authorization infringe on publishers' rights and highlighted concerns about safety standards on these platforms.
A critical Windows 11 and Windows 10 flaw turns Microsoft Defender into a hacker's best friend
Winsage
June 30, 2026

A critical Windows 11 and Windows 10 flaw turns Microsoft Defender into a hacker’s best friend

Chaotic Eclipse, also known as Nightmare-Eclipse, bypassed Windows 11's BitLocker security using a USB stick and claimed Microsoft left a backdoor in the system. Following this, Microsoft patched three zero-day exploits named YellowKey, GreenPlasma, and MiniPlasma. Nightmare-Eclipse then revealed another zero-day vulnerability called RoguePlanet, which affects Microsoft Defender on Windows 10 and 11, potentially allowing attackers full control over compromised systems. Microsoft is tracking this vulnerability as CVE-2026-50656 and is working on a security update. Nightmare-Eclipse provided a proof-of-concept exploit and described it as a race condition with variable success rates. Microsoft has promoted Windows Defender as adequate for most users but acknowledged that third-party tools can offer additional protection. The company initially threatened legal action against Nightmare-Eclipse but later decided not to pursue lawsuits against researchers sharing their findings.
A critical exploit bypasses Microsoft Defender in Windows 11 and Windows 10 — so much for "everyday risk protection without additional software"
Winsage
June 30, 2026

A critical exploit bypasses Microsoft Defender in Windows 11 and Windows 10 — so much for “everyday risk protection without additional software”

Security researcher Chaotic Eclipse, known as Nightmare-Eclipse, bypassed Windows 11's BitLocker security using a USB stick and claimed Microsoft intentionally included a backdoor in the feature. Microsoft responded by patching three zero-day exploits disclosed by Nightmare-Eclipse: YellowKey, GreenPlasma, and MiniPlasma, and is monitoring another exploit called RoguePlanet, cataloged as CVE-2026-50656. The RoguePlanet exploit is a race condition with varying success rates on different machines, achieving a 100% success rate on some devices. Microsoft acknowledged that while Windows 11's Defender is generally sufficient for most users, third-party tools can offer additional security features. Tensions between Nightmare-Eclipse and Microsoft have risen, with the company previously considering legal action but now indicating it will not pursue lawsuits against researchers sharing their findings.
ESA bafflingly declares private Minecraft servers 'illegal' in Stop Killing Games hearing: 'We consider it piracy, we have lawsuits'
AppWizard
June 30, 2026

ESA bafflingly declares private Minecraft servers ‘illegal’ in Stop Killing Games hearing: ‘We consider it piracy, we have lawsuits’

During a California State Senate hearing on the Protect Our Games Act (AB 1921), Jennifer Gibbons, vice president of the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), claimed that private servers for games like Minecraft and Call of Duty are illegal and constitute piracy. This statement has been challenged by gaming communities, as players can legally set up private servers by downloading a .jar file from the official Minecraft website. Advocates for the Protect Our Games Act plan to enhance their lobbying efforts by increasing funding, establishing an in-person presence, and forming a coalition of organizations and developers. Additionally, there are plans to introduce similar legislation in other states and potentially at the federal level.
Что такое торрент, как он работает и можно ли им пользоваться
TrendTechie
June 20, 2026

Что такое торрент, как он работает и можно ли им пользоваться

Downloading a Linux distribution from the official website typically takes about half an hour, but during high-demand periods, such as new Ubuntu releases, speeds can drastically decrease due to server overload. Torrents, which use a peer-to-peer file-sharing protocol, allow users to download and share data simultaneously, reducing the load on a single server. Torrents operate by enabling direct exchanges between users through the BitTorrent protocol, where files are divided into smaller pieces and downloaded in parallel from multiple sources. Key terms include peers (users with parts of the file), seeds (users who have fully downloaded the file), .torrent files (metadata files), and magnet links (text-based alternatives to .torrent files). The BitTorrent protocol does not rely on a central server, enhancing resilience as files can continue to circulate as long as at least one seed is available. To use torrents, a torrent client is needed, with recommended options for 2026 including qBittorrent, Transmission, and BiglyBT. The BitTorrent technology itself is legal, but legality depends on the content being shared. Legal uses include downloading Linux distributions, open-source software, and scientific datasets, while unlicensed movies and cracked software are illegal. In Russia, while torrent technology is not prohibited, downloading copyrighted content without permission is a violation. Risks of using torrents include exposure to viruses and malware, copyright infringement, fake distributions, and IP address exposure. To protect oneself, users should choose moderated trackers, avoid suspicious files, use antivirus software, and limit upload speeds. Common problems include slow speeds, connection issues, and disappearing files, which can often be resolved by checking settings or ensuring there are seeds available. Sharing files after downloading is not legally mandatory but is considered good etiquette in the torrent community.
Gabe Newell Fights Steam Monopoly Claims, Says “Customers Have Enormous Choice” Across Consoles and PC
AppWizard
June 4, 2026

Gabe Newell Fights Steam Monopoly Claims, Says “Customers Have Enormous Choice” Across Consoles and PC

Valve's Steam is facing multiple legal challenges, including a class-action antitrust lawsuit regarding its microtransaction strategies and a 30% commission on transactions. Gabe Newell, Valve's co-founder, is defending the platform against claims of monopolistic behavior, asserting that gamers have "enormous choice" in where to purchase games. Allegations suggest Valve has threatened developers who price their games lower outside of Steam, including a warning to Ubisoft about removing Rainbow Six Siege from the platform. Newell denies these allegations, stating that Valve does not dictate prices to third-party developers on other platforms. The outcomes of the lawsuits could significantly impact how games are marketed and sold.
Gabe Newell Says Players Have 'Enormous Choice' When Pressed on Steam Monopoly Accusations, Report Says
AppWizard
June 3, 2026

Gabe Newell Says Players Have ‘Enormous Choice’ When Pressed on Steam Monopoly Accusations, Report Says

Gabe Newell, founder and president of Valve, denied allegations that Steam operates as a monopoly, stating that gamers have numerous purchasing options beyond Steam, including consoles and other platforms like the Epic Games Store. Steam has maintained its dominance in the digital PC gaming market for over a decade, with a 60% increase in its user base in the past five years, reaching around 42 million active users. Despite competition from Epic Games, which offers an 88% revenue share to developers, it has not displaced Steam. Newell also addressed claims that Valve restricts pricing strategies for publishers on non-Steam platforms, asserting that Valve does not dictate pricing to third-party developers. Valve is currently facing multiple lawsuits, including an antitrust case and another related to loot boxes.
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