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

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Steam now explicitly states you don’t own the digital games you’re buying'

S&S' Reidy: Digital could 'reshape international business'

E-books are expected to account for 17% of Simon & Schuster's total revenue in 2011,... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-12-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #simon schuster #total revenue

Digital start-ups swell IPG membership

Eighty publishers have joined the Independent Publishers Guild this year, with digital companies... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-12-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital companies

Rodale Makes Digital Hire

Health and fitness publisher Rodale is bringing in a new executive to oversee the digital division it created as part of October's shakeup. Former Barnes & Noble GM Anthony Astarita will become Rodale's general manager of digital and new brand development, one of three divisions CEO Maria... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2011-12-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #brand development #nook e-reader #coming year #steve madden #strategic alliances

Trinity restructures regionals for digital push

Trinity Mirror has restructured the management structure across its regional division and is creating 20 new digital positions as it looks to increase its focus on digital publishing and streamline its reporting structure. Continue reading at Media Week

[ Media Week | 2011-12-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital push #trinity mirror #management structure #digital positions #digital publishing #reporting structure

Digital marketeers set for busy Christmas Day

Publishers are planning to up their marketing campaigns over the crucial festive period,... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-12-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #marketing campaigns

S&S buys Mackness memoir

Simon & Schuster has bought the memoir of entrepreneur and creator of the Giggly Pig sausage... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-12-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #simon schuster

RH expands digital team

Random House is extending its digital team, and has promoted Dan Franklin, current digital editor... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-12-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #random house #digital team

No Exit buys Drive sequel

Indie crime specialist No Exit Press has acquired the sequel to US author James Sallis' Drive... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-12-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #exit press

History Press makes redundancies, grows digital

The History Press is in consultation with a "small number" of staff over redundancies,... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-12-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #history press #small number

ICM in management buy-out

International Creative Management, which works in partnership with Curtis Brown, has been bought... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-12-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #management buy- #curtis brown

Head of Zeus makes first fiction buy

Literary agent Fiona Spencer Thomas has sold a thriller by Alex Churton to Anthony Cheetham's... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-12-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #alex churton #anthony cheetham

Survey: heaviest buyers moving to digital

The potential for digital to grow readership and increase revenue has been seriously called into... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-12-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #increase revenue

Head of Zeus makes fiction buy

Literary agent Fiona Spencer Thomas has sold a thriller by Alex Churton to Anthony Cheetham's... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-12-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #alex churton #anthony cheetham

Condé Nast Partners with AdMeld in Private Digital Ad Exchange

In a major magazine publisher first, Condé Nast launched a private advertising exchange for select digital clientele. Partnering with service provider AdMeld, inventory from Condés entire digital portfolio was available at the time of the exchanges launch. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-12-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |

Orion acquires digital rights to Household's backlist

Orion has acquired digital publishing rights to the entire backlist of thriller writer Geoffrey... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-12-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #entire backlist

John Blake prepares for 2012 digital push

John Blake has promoted four members of staff to reflect a new emphasis on digital publishing for... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-12-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #john blake #digital publishing

Amazon.com buys children's books list from Marshall Cavendish

Amazon.com has acquired 450 titles from publisher Marshall Cavendish, marking the retailer's... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-12-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |

Bonnier Corp. Buys Four Hunting Expos from Target Communications

Bonnier Corporation, publisher of magazines including Field & Stream and Outdoor Life, has purchased four hunting expos from Mequon, Wisconsin-based Target Communications for an undisclosed sum. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-12-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #bonnier corp #bonnier corporation