Steam Restrictions in Vietnam Expand to Downloads and Cloud Services
Access to Steam services in Vietnam appears to be facing tighter restrictions. While previous issues primarily targeted the store and payment pages, recent user reports indicate that game downloads, updates, community features, and Steam Cloud synchronization are also becoming unavailable.
According to reports from the Vietnamese outlet GameK and various online communities, users have been experiencing widespread issues logging into Steam or accessing the Steam Store since early October. Crucially, the scope of these disruptions seems to have broadened; users who previously could download updates for installed games now report that these processes have virtually come to a standstill.
Many users have noted that using a VPN allows them to bypass these restrictions. Attempts to resolve the issues by switching to Google DNS (8.8.8.8) or Cloudflare (1.1.1.1) have reportedly failed to restore downloading capabilities. The impact also appears to be inconsistent, as some users on the same FPT internet network can still access services normally, suggesting regional or ISP-specific variations in the blocking measures.
This situation follows ongoing regulatory shifts in the country. Since December 25, 2024, Vietnam has been enforcing Decree 147/2024/ND-CP, which requires online game operators to fulfill specific licensing and administrative procedures. This follows a similar crackdown in May 2024, when Vietnamese authorities stated that Valve had failed to respond to inquiries regarding local licensing. At that time, restrictions were limited to the store and payment functions, leaving installed games playable.
The regulatory scrutiny has also been fueled by the status of PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS. While the mobile version is officially licensed in Vietnam, the PC version is provided via global services without local licensing, leading to discussions about blocking unlicensed content. While no direct causal link has been confirmed between the PUBG controversy and the current Steam disruptions, the practical experience for Vietnamese users suggests that the reach of these restrictions is expanding.
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