For PC gamers, Steam is a near-perfect catalog of old and new games. Run by Valve, the service offers the digital sales of thousands of titles, ranging from the biggest AAA games to the smallest indies. Despite its convenience, however, Steam doesn’t offer every video game in existence. Not only are some titles never released on the service, but certain games are removed from Steam for one reason or another.
Oftentimes, a popular game will be removed to be replaced by an updated version of that same game. Though this may be the case for quite a few games, several titles were removed for other reasons. Unfortunately, there’s very little chance these games will ever see the light of day on Steam again.
In some of these cases, an official reason for the removal was not provided; consequently, an informed guess will be presented.
Also, for a number of these games, you can still find the store page if you look hard enough. However, the game will not show up in searches, and you cannot purchase it.
16
Spec Ops: The Line
Reason For Steam Removal: Expired License
In early 2024, Spec Ops: The Line was removed without warning from Steam (and other storefronts), garnering a pretty vocal reaction since the thought-provoking game has a well-earned positive reputation. As tends to be the case with so many projects that end up delisted, Spec Ops: The Line‘s removal ultimately came down to expired licenses.
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Released in 2012, the third-person shooter casts players as a soldier thrown into a high-stress situation that challenges them ethically and morally. Although fairly short and not featuring especially satisfying gameplay, Spec Ops: The Line is completely carried by its story and themes, both of which have proven to be quite timeless.
15
Prey (2006)
Reason For Steam Removal: No More Keys
Before Arkane Studios revamped the name, the original Prey from 2006 proved to be a success when it was first released. The sci-fi/action game received rave reviews from critics, and its popularity garnered a mobile game and a reboot. While Prey can still be purchased from other sources, it’s currently unavailable through Steam.
The reason for Prey‘s removal is odd, to say the least. During a Steam sale, the game reportedly sold out, despite the fact that Steam deals exclusively with digital sales, not physical ones. Supposedly, each digital copy was tied to a CD-ROM key, and Steam ran out of these keys during the sale. With no more possible combinations, it seems like it was easier to just remove the game altogether.
14
Fable 3
Reason For Steam Removal: Games for Windows Live’s Discontinuation
Fable 3
8/10
- Released
-
October 26, 2010
The first game in the beloved Fable series can be found on Steam with the Fable Anniversary remaster. Though the acclaimed Fable 2 never saw a PC release, the third installment in the franchise did. Once upon a time, fans could purchase Fable 3 for their Steam library. Unfortunately, it seems as though these days are long gone.
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Similar to Prey, product keys for Fable 3 are no longer being created. This coincided with the closing of the Games for Windows – Live marketplace in 2013 and is likely the reason product keys for Fable 3 are no longer made. Like its predecessor, Fable 3 can still be played on the Xbox 360.
13
Quantum Of Solace
Reason For Steam Removal: James Bond License
Quantum of Solace
- Released
-
November 4, 2008
- ESRB
-
T For Teen Due To Alcohol Reference, Mild Language, Violence
James Bond fans looking to become 007 will have to wait for the upcoming IO Interactive game since none are available on Steam any longer. Beginning in 2006, developer Activision produced several James Bond video games, all released on Steam as well as other platforms. While Blood Stone and 007 Legends had mixed reception, the video game tie-in to the 2008 film was welcomed far more positively. That being said, Quantum of Solace, along with Activision’s other Bond games, has since been removed from Steam.
In early 2013, all three games were taken off the Steam store. Three days later, Activision stated that the James Bond license had unfortunately expired and that the developer would be moving away from licensed games in the future. This is especially disappointing as there hasn’t been a new Bond game since. Quantum of Solace, along with Blood Stone and 007 Legends are still available on past-generation consoles.
12
Wolfenstein (2009)
Possible Reason For Steam Removal: Could Be Due To Wolfenstein No Longer Being Under Activision
Wolfenstein
- Released
-
August 18, 2009
- ESRB
-
Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language
The last game in the popular Wolfenstein series before its MachineGames reboot, the 2009 entry was released as the sequel to Return to Castle Wolfenstein in 2001. Despite a mostly positive critical reception and a commercially successful predecessor, Wolfenstein failed to repeat that commercial success eight years later. Poor sales, however, are probably not the reason the game can’t be downloaded from Steam anymore, since that would result in plenty of projects being removed from the service.
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An official reason has not been provided for why the game was removed from Steam, although there are a few theories. Since Nazis are ever-present throughout the Wolfenstein franchise, a swastika or two might show up during any given playthrough. Understandably, swastikas and related Nazi iconography are banned from any video games released in Germany. Activision had done its best to see that the German release of Wolfenstein was swastika-free, but a few had slipped under the radar. While this resulted in the removal from German stores, the game seemed to remain on Steam for a few years longer, only to be removed around the time Wolfenstein no longer remained under Activision’s publishing rights.
11
Deadpool
Reason For Steam Removal: Marvel License Expired
The Deadpool game has been around the removal rumor block several times. The 2013 adaptation of the popular Marvel comics has players taking control of the fourth-wall-breaking mercenary and features everything that fans love about the character. Fans have been disappointed that not only has the game been removed from all digital markets, but it has been removed from Steam twice.
In 2014, Deadpool, along with other Marvel titles such as X-Men: Destiny and Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions, were removed from digital storefronts because of an expired licensing contract between Marvel and publisher Activision. One year later, however, the game was made available again to coincide with the release of the 2016 film. Then, two years after its re-release, the game was once again pulled from Steam due to licensing issues. The removal also applies to digital copies on Xbox and PlayStation as well.
10
DiRT (Various Entries)
Possible Reason For Steam Removal: Licensing Agreements (Most Likely)
While many other installments in the racing video game franchise DiRT are still available on Steam, the 2007 entry, along with a few others, are left out of the store. The 2007 game is noteworthy in particular for being released just one day before franchise head Colin McRae passed away in a tragic helicopter accident. Out of respect, McRae’s name was removed from the titles of past re-releases, as well as unused in future installments.
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Like many other games, licensing issues are to blame for the removal of DiRT. Many of the licenses of the cars players can drive in the game have since expired, resulting in this game, along with DiRT 2-4, no longer being available for purchase through Steam. All the games are still available on past-gen consoles. Also, DiRT Rally is not on Steam either, although the sequel is available.
The same purgatory befell Grid, as only Grid Legends is available to buy on Steam.
9
Rocket League
Reason For Steam Removal: Changed To Free-To-Play
The insanely popular car-soccer game may not be available through Steam, though that hardly means Rocket League is no longer playable. The surprising critical and commercial success of a video game about cars playing soccer drew a large player base and has since become an official esports game.
While the game is no longer on Steam, the reason is quite simple. Rocket League was initially released on all platforms, requiring payment, and even physical copies were distributed and sold. In 2020, however, that all changed when developers Psyonix made the decision to make the game free-to-play. Since Rocket League no longer requires a paid purchase to be played, it has been removed from Steam’s library.
8
Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (& Other Entries)
Reason For Steam Removal: Delisted After Closure Of Multiplayer Servers
Quite a few Battlefield games have been delisted over the years, and they all hurt. Battlefield 1942 was a landmark release for the FPS genre, and it will likely not be experienced by new generations moving forward. Battlefield 2 is also a big miss, but the saddest removals have to be the Bad Company duology. Both games are fantastic and arguably among the franchise’s best, particularly the sequel.
EA shut down their multiplayer servers and, consequently, delisted them, making them impossible to purchase from stores like Steam. The frustrating thing is that both Bad Company games have brilliant single-player campaigns that are worth playing in isolation, so it is not like they have no value without multiplayer. Maybe we will eventually get them as a remastered compilation, but I would not hold my breathe.
7
Evolve
Reason For Steam Removal: Servers Shut Down
Evolve
7/10
- Released
-
February 10, 2015
This asymmetric multiplayer game from Turtle Rock Studios may have had commercial success upon its release, but its dwindling player base failed to keep it alive. As a sort of interactive monster movie, Evolve pitted four players against one player-controlled monster, which could, as the game’s title implies, evolve as the match continued.
Despite a unique concept, Turtle Rock’s game failed to evolve enough to keep players interested. As the player base continued to drop, it was first announced that Evolve would be shifting to a free-to-play model, though this hardly helped. In 2018, it was announced that 2K Games would permanently shut down the game’s servers, and with it, the ability to purchase it through Steam. While the game can no longer be played online, it can still be played with peer-to-peer multiplayer through Legacy Evolved.
