Steam now tells users that they’re buying a license, not a game

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As a long-time Steam user with countless hours spent navigating its digital shelves, I can’t help but feel a mix of nostalgia and trepidation upon seeing the recent changes. The new message about digital licenses instead of ownership is a reminder of the ephemeral nature of our gaming hobbies in this digital age.

Players intending to expand their Steam game collection are now encountering a notice explaining that buying a digital game gives them a license for the game, but they don’t actually own the game itself. Valve has introduced this warning in anticipation of a California law due to take effect in 2025.

Yesterday, Steam users started noticing a fresh announcement. Placed on the Shopping Cart screen, it explains that purchasing a digital product provides a license for the item on Steam. This fresh declaration makes clear what has long been the case with Steam (and other online stores): when you buy a game, you’re not really owning it; instead, you acquire a permit to use it. Consequently, digital products could hypothetically disappear from your library if the rights holder decides so.

Earlier this month, Governor Gavin Newsom of California approved a new regulation. This rule will make digital marketplaces explicitly tell customers that they’re purchasing a license, not the actual product, starting from next year. However, it seems like Valve Corporation is already preparing for this change in advance.

In the upcoming months, you’ll likely encounter identical messages appearing on platforms such as the Epic Games Store, PlayStation Store, and Xbox Store for gamers.

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2024-10-11 17:57