No, you need to install them as well. It’ll work as long as it’s installed, but after they’re delisted, I don’t think steam can even distribute them.
I know I have at least one game “grid: race driver” that was delisted from steam, at some point I must have uninstalled it, and now I can’t download it, it doesn’t even show up in my library. I’ve been trying like hell to find a way to play it, but even pirated versions are being difficult.
Edit: judging from comments and downvotes, apparently this is rare? But it does definitely happen, I’m not making this example up. And I don’t know how you could predict whether a game will just be unavailable for purchase or totally disappear…
Removing games from player inventory is very rare; I’ve only seen it happen when malware is uploaded to Steam as a game.
I have a few games that can’t be played anymore, like Super Bomberman R Online and The Crew. I still can download their files from Steam; but I can’t play them.
But now I’m curious too, what could’ve happened that got that game removed from the people who bought the game
I’m a bit curious too. My theory is that it may have come down to licensing and trademark issue. Since the game used actual car brands and their logos and such, they may have had some agreement over their usage and perhaps the period of that agreement ended. It’s worth noting that the game was available from several different stores, and it became unavailable everywhere as far as I know.
It’s extremely rare for a delisted game to be removed from your library, and they only do it in cases where, for instance, the game would literally be unplayable because the server isn’t there anymore. Often times they won’t remove the game from your library in that situation either. Having the game in your library is, in fact, enough.
This is not the case with the sega games we’re talking about. The announcement specifically mentions the games will still be available to download if you bought them before the delisting.
