It’s been less than a week since Valve released the official Steam application for Android and already it’s surrounded by controversy. It appears a number of third-party Steam applications have suddenly disappeared from the Android Market and we’re guessing it’s not a coincidence. The part that’s bothering most people, is that the Steam API is publicly available to use and develop applications with. So why they sudden disappearance of these apps?

Okay, so the Steam API may be publicly available to use, but it doesn’t mean there aren’t Terms Of Use. For example, the latest 3rd party app to hit the Android Market was “Steam for Android” by IBF Programs. By calling their app “Steam for Android” they make it seem as if it were the official “Steam” for Android. This can be confusing and is also in violation of the Steam Web API TOS which says:

You may not present the Steam Data (or permit the Steam Data to be presented) so that it appears (a) that your Application is endorsed or affiliated with Valve or Steam, or (b) to be available from a third party.

It could be that Valve determined these apps to “appear endorsed or affiliated with Valve or Steam” and thus in violation of their TOS. This alone could be reason enough for Valve to have the apps pulled, not to mention other TOS agreements they could view as being violated. With that being said, perhaps all these apps have to do is change their names and they’ll be able to once again be in the Android Market. Further proof of this is that there are still third-party Steam apps in the Market, and the ones left have less deceiving names such as “Staticon for Steam.”

We still don’t know why these apps were pulled from the Market but if it’s Valve’s doing, it’s most likely something a simple name change might rectify.

• SourceDROID Gamers