Steam now explicitly states you don’t own the digital games you’re buying

Have you ever bought an app or game from a digital storefront, only for it to suddenly disappear and become inaccessible without warning? It’s both confusing and frustrating, which is why some governments are stepping in and hoping to make things clearer for consumers. Gavin Newsom, governor of California, recently signed a new law (AB 2426) that involves the purchasing of digital goods and services. Under the new law, online storefronts that sell digital copies of video games, music, movies, TV shows, and ebooks must be explicit as to whether customers actually own what they’re purchasing. Some digital services are already adapting to the new regulations, which aren’t set to be enforced until next year. Steam is one such company, having already implemented a change in the Steam storefront that explicitly notifies customers that they’re purchasing “a license for the product on Steam” and don’t actually own the game outright. What does that mean for you? Well, a license is just permission for you to access content that’s provided by the service (i.e., the game). If the content is made unavailable for whatever reason, you aren’t entitled to access in perpetuity. (As opposed to buying a digital download, in which case you’re buying permission to download and keep said files.) According to Engadget, this new wording in Steam is used in all countries and territories, not just the United States. Further reading: Why digital games can vanish in a heartbeat Continue reading at 'PC World'

[ PC World | 2024-10-11 19:19:30 UTC ]
News tagged with: #game outright #digital services #digital download #explicitly states #digital games #digital storefront #suddenly disappear #gavin newsom #recently signed #digital goods #online storefronts #video games #tv shows #made unavailable #ebooks

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Sand Land, a game adaptation of Akira Toriyama's manga, drops on April 26

Bandai Namco’s Sand Land finally has a release date of April 26. This is a video game adaptation of a classic manga by artist Akira Toriyama. That’s the same Akira Toriyama who created Dragon Ball, and also created the character designs for Chrono Trigger and many entries in the Dragon Quest... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2024-01-12 18:40:08 UTC ]
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In Wales: Graffeg Buys World Rights to a Kids’ Book on Immigration

The Dandelion's Tale by Margaret Anne Suggs is being published by Graffeg Books and helps children understand more about immigration. The post In Wales: Graffeg Buys World Rights to a Kids’ Book on Immigration appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2024-01-12 18:03:28 UTC ]
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OverDrive: Record Number of Libraries Hit One Million Digital Lends in 2023

Another year, another record: OverDrive reps reported this week that 152 libraries around the world reached million-checkout milestone last year, including 23 first-timers. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-01-11 05:00:00 UTC ]
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OverDrive Reports Another Record Year for Digital Library Circulation

Library users worldwide borrowed some 662 million e-books, digital audiobooks, and digital magazines, OverDrive reps announced in a release this week, with 152 library systems reporting more than a million digital checkouts in 2023. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-01-04 05:00:00 UTC ]
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The best gaming handhelds for 2024

Handheld gaming systems are having a moment. While gaming on the go has been a thing since the Game Boy, the success of the Nintendo Switch and a string of ever-improving processors have brought an eruption of devices that let you play all sorts of games anywhere you want. Because new models... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-12-22 15:00:18 UTC ]
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Skyhorse Buying Regnery Publishing

After a deal to sell Regnery Publishing appeared to be dead in November, Salem Media Group has signed an agreement sell the conservative publisher to Skyhorse Publishing. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-12-22 05:00:00 UTC ]
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How brands are combining audio and video formats to boost digital campaign success

Rachel Brooks, associate director of business marketing, global, Spotify Digital media consumers seamlessly transition from audio to video throughout their day — listening to a favorite playlist during a workout or commute, then tuning into video content when relaxing in front of screens at the... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2023-12-14 15:56:06 UTC ]
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China Literature Buys Tencent Animation and Comics

Pursuing its strategy of seeking to further leverage IP, China Literature, China's dominant online publishing and e-book company, has bought Tencent Animation and Comics for 600 million yuan (US$83.6 million). Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-12-13 05:00:00 UTC ]
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B&T’s Aman Kochar Reflects on the Changes He Has Made Since Buying the Company Two Years Ago

Baker & Taylor’s Aman Kochar has embraced the wholesaler’s role as a conduit between libraries and publishers. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-12-08 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Arkane Lyon is making a Blade game and we're all very excited

Arkane Lyon, the developer of Deathloop, is making a game based on Marvel’s resident vampire hunter Blade. There’s a trailer, but it’s just a cinematic with no gameplay. Still, this is very exciting news as Arkane Lyon is the talented team behind Prey and the Dishonored 2. It also made the... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-12-08 03:21:48 UTC ]
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Opening in the States: Italy’s 21lettere Expands With 26Letters

Independent book publisher Alberto Bisi brings his meticulous '21lettere' approach to the States, opening his new 26Letters. The post Opening in the States: Italy’s 21lettere Expands With 26Letters appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-12-05 23:40:01 UTC ]
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The Game Awards raises an old question: What does indie mean?

The Game Awards got it wrong this year. One of the titles nominated for Best Independent Game, Dave the Diver, was produced by Nexon, one of the largest video game studios in South Korea. No matter how hard you squint, it is not indie. Dave the Diver is an excellent pixel-art game about deep-sea... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-12-01 20:52:11 UTC ]
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Penguin Random House Sues the US State of Iowa

Penguin Random House — along with the Iowa State Education Association, authors, students, and educators — is taking Iowa to court for its law against sexual content in books. The post Penguin Random House Sues the US State of Iowa appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-11-30 23:47:44 UTC ]
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Can digital watermarking protect us from generative AI?

The Biden White House recently enacted its latest executive order designed to establish a guiding framework for generative artificial intelligence development — including content authentication and using digital watermarks to indicate when digital assets made by the Federal government are... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-11-30 18:45:42 UTC ]
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Rockstar Games co-founder Dan Houser's next projects are a graphic novel and an audio drama

Absurd Ventures, the new creative studio from Rockstar Games co-founder and ex-creative director Dan Houser, has announced its first projects. As it happens, neither of them are video games, at least not yet. The first of these two new universes is called American Caper,... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-11-29 21:02:58 UTC ]
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Rockstar Games co-founder Dan Houser's next projects are a graphic novel and an audio drama

Absurd Ventures, the new creative studio from Rockstar Games co-founder and ex-creative director Dan Houser, has announced its first projects. As it happens, neither of them are video games, at least not yet. The first of these two new universes is called American Caper, which will debut as a... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-11-29 21:02:58 UTC ]
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Preserving our digital content is vital. But paying $38,000 for the privilege is not | John Naughton

Storing online data in perpetuity is not just about photos and texts but thoughts and ideas. Platforms such as WordPress are starting to act, but it must be at a realistic priceWay back in 2004 the two founders of Google, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, thought that it would be a cool idea to scan... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-11-25 16:00:53 UTC ]
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All the best Black Friday deals of 2023 from Amazon, Walmart, Target, Best Buy and others

Black Friday 2023 is finally upon us, and even though the sales seemed to start a little earlier this year, most of the deals are still going strong. Plus, we're seeing a few brand new deals that went live early this morning. We at Engadget care most about consumer... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-11-25 00:10:35 UTC ]
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'Freelance Isn't Free' Becomes Law in New York State

New York Governor Kathy Hochul has signed New York state bill S5026—known as the Freelance Isn’t Free Act, and intended to protect freelance workers including authors and journalists on contract—into law. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-11-22 05:00:00 UTC ]
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The History of the United States According to Colson Whitehead

Since the publication of his first novel in 1999, Colson Whitehead has become one of the most lauded, prized, taught, and studied American novelists writing today. Winner of the National Book Award, two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize (the only writer apart from William Faulkner and John... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-11-21 09:40:53 UTC ]
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