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'


Navigate360, a security-services company, buys Social Sentinel, a threat-detection company

Social Sentinel technology scans and analyzes digital content to identify potential safety and security threats, according to Richfield-based Navigate360. Continue reading at Silicon Valley Business Journal

[ Silicon Valley Business Journal | 2020-10-27 16:39:45 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital content


16 new books to buy from your local indie bookstore this week.

With Halloween fast-approaching, I feel the need (along with every other person on the book internet) to remind you that one of the scariest things imaginable might happen: your local indie bookstore might close. Their fate is in your hands. Go on and pick up one (or two or three) of these new... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-10-27 13:16:05 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #literary hub #bookstore


Bloomsbury Posts Double-Digit Gains in First Half of Fiscal 2021

A 55% increase in digital sales plus higher online revenue led to a 10% increase in sales while pre-tax profits more than doubled at Bloomsbury in the six-month period ended August 31, 2020. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-10-27 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital sales #55% increase #10% increase #pre-tax profits #bloomsbury


Nigeria’s Digital Aké Arts and Book Festival Opens Today

The seventh Aké Arts and Book Festival in Lagos is all online and available for all to see. Events are free and open to the public. The post Nigeria’s Digital Aké Arts and Book Festival Opens Today appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2020-10-22 19:32:42 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #post nigeria #book festival


After Digital Conferences, Booksellers See Hybrid Future

Following the recent slate of virtual regional bookseller conferences, both organizers and participants anticipate that in-person gatherings will make a return someday and will be part of a hybrid model that includes enhanced virtual programming. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-10-22 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #bookseller


Overall Frankfurter Buchmesse Digital Attendance: 200,000 Users

The world's largest trade show registered 4,165 buyer and sellers on its Frankfurt Rights platform, 2,388 on the B2B 'matchmaking tool.' The post Overall Frankfurter Buchmesse Digital Attendance: 200,000 Users appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2020-10-19 08:14:46 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #frankfurter buchmesse


Our Frankfurt Magazine: Denmark’s Saga Egmont Is Hiring for Digital Releases

With a goal of building digital revenue 'our authors can make a living from,' Saga Egmont's Lasse Horne is staffers for digital. The post Our Frankfurt Magazine: Denmark’s Saga Egmont Is Hiring for Digital Releases appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2020-10-18 13:25:15 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #saga egmont #egmont


Publishing Perspectives Talk: ‘Digital Format Adoption and the Pandemic’

The next Publishing Perspectives Talk at the 2020 Frankfurt Book Fair is on the digital-format usage by consumers during pandemic lockdowns. The post Publishing Perspectives Talk: ‘Digital Format Adoption and the Pandemic’ appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2020-10-15 20:46:14 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #pandemic lockdowns #frankfurt book fair


Higher Digital Sales Drove Gains of Adult Books in August

Sales of downloadable audio jumped 32% in August over a year ago and e-book sales rose 14.6%. With hardcover sales up 29% in the month, sales of adult books rose 13.2% in August, according to AAP's BookStat. Total industry sales inched up 0.3% in the month. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-10-13 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #hardcover sales #adult books #e-book sales


Time to look at digital media through 'hot' and 'cold' channels

YouTube, Spotify, podcasts or TikTok may be digital, but they are decidedly warmer than, say, search-engine optimisation. Continue reading at Media Week

[ Media Week | 2020-10-12 09:21:30 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital media


The State of Book Producing in 2020

In its 40th year, the American Book Producers Association has turned to virtual events to keep up with members and keep the industry informed. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-10-09 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #40th year #virtual events


Michael Joseph buys Tyler's Walk from the Wild Edge

Michael Joseph has bought a memoir from Jake Tyler, the mental health advocate, adventurer, runner, walker and depression sufferer who made headlines when he embarked on a 3,000-mile journey around the UK. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-10-08 12:33:17 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #michael joseph #made headlines #memoir


Transworld buys four more from Trisha Ashley

Transworld has acquired four more novels from Trisha Ashley, who has been with the publisher since 2016.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-10-08 06:34:02 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Why advertisers are leaning into digital publishing strategies

Ashley Deibert, CMO, Piano The world of digital advertising is undergoing a paradigm shift. Even before Google pulls the final plug on third-party cookies in 2022, brands will be challenged to rethink their targeting and ad strategies. The demise of third-party cookies promises to accelerate the... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2020-10-08 01:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital advertising #paradigm shift #third-party cookies #third-party data #digital publishing


How to rethink your digital diet and pull yourself out of a productivity slump

Placing boundaries on your screen time will help you get back to business after touching your technology too much. For some of us, social media and digital content have been our saving graces during the pandemic—a critical way to stay in the know, keep connected, and maintain relationships. But... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2020-10-07 08:00:20 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #screen time #digital content


Can’t get enough Game of Thrones or Star Wars? New editions on cult favorites are here to satisfy.

Escape again into the worlds created by George R.R. Martin, Ray Bradbury, Lewis Carroll and more. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2020-10-06 10:57:16 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #star wars #ray bradbury #lewis carroll


Op-Ed: Buy from your independent bookstore now — or you may never be able to again

Vroman's Bookstore is just one of many independent bookstores in danger of closing as a result of the pandemic. It's not too late to save them. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2020-10-05 10:00:03 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #independent bookstores #bookstore #independent bookstore


Print Units Post Double-Digit Gains at the End of September

With the juvenile and YA nonfiction categories both posting better than 32% gains, unit sales of print books rose 10.3% in the week ended Sept. 26, 2020, over the comparable week in 2019, at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-10-02 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Germany’s Springer Nature Opens a ‘Digital Hub’ for Frankfurt

The Springer Nature @ Frankfurt Book Fair site brings together online activities the company is organizing around the Frankfurter Buchmesse. The post Germany’s Springer Nature Opens a ‘Digital Hub’ for Frankfurt appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2020-09-29 17:06:17 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #post germany #frankfurt appeared #digital hub #online activities #frankfurter buchmesse #frankfurt book fair #springer nature


PW Inks Distribution Deal for Digital Archive

East View Information Services will now distribute the 'Publishers Weekly' Digital Archive. The archive is composed of 7,500 past issues of 'PW' with more than 650,000 fully searchable pages. It includes 435,000 book reviews beginning in the 1940s. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-09-29 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital archive