If you are a frugal Steam user, you may have noticed that you no longer have access to certain account features. This is because Valve has implemented a new policy that limits the features available to users who have spent less than $5.00 on their account (or have less than $5.00 in their Steam Wallet). Valve claims this new policy will help cut down on spam and phishing abuse taking place on the platform.
The new policy uses the USD to track purchases, so if you live outside of the United States the value needed to unlock the features will depend on current exchange rates.
It is also worth noting that retail games and CD keys added to Steam, as well as gifts from other users will not remove the restrictions. This means purchases made on sites like Green Man Gaming will not count towards unlocking your account.
The most notable features being restricted include:
- The ability to send friend invites.
- The ability to open group chat.
- The ability to access the Steam web API.
- The ability to access browser and mobile chat.
For more information, and to see the full list of restricted features, you should check out the official announcement here.
What do you guys think about this change? Will it impact you or anyone you know? Be sure to let us know in the comments below.