Valve has a pretty big problem on its hands. Earlier this week they removed 173 titles from the Steam library because of what they say were “extreme actions” that were “impacting the functionality of the store and our tools.” Polygon first broke the story earlier this week.

The root of the problem is asset flippers and there desire to make a quick buck, no matter the consequences. Asset flippers, a term coined by YouTuber Jim Sterling, turn out cheap and poorly made games and then sell them on stores like Steam for marginal profits. The developer behind the recent Steam Direct ordeal is known as Silicon Echo Studios. They’ve been producing games en masse since early this year and have been doing so under many different names. Some of their games are nearly identical to one another and nearly all of them were part of the Steam Direct program. 

Valve’s trading card system seems to be a primary motive behind Silicon Echo Studios’ actions. The developer was able to bundle their games or sell them for surprisingly cheap, thus allowing Steam users to farm trading cards. The shady business model works because both users and developers profit from trading cards. And even if those profits are just pennies on the dollar, they add up.

Especially if you believe the findings of YouTuber SidAlpha. According to Polygon, SidAlpha found that in the months of July and August, 10 percent of all games released on Steam were created by Silicon Echo Studios or one of its shells.

The actions of Silicon Echo are a stiff reminder that the video game industry is a business first and foremost. In all levels of gaming, from indie to AAA, there will always be some developers who are solely in it for the money. 

Luckily, Valve’s acted relatively quickly in this instance. Sure it’d be nice if these games never saw the light of day or if they were removed quicker, but there’s a process.

Following the removal, the company communicated to Polygon, saying “we do ask developers to respect our customers and our policies. Spamming cloned games or manipulating our store tools isn’t something we will tolerate. Our priority is helping players find games they will enjoy playing.”