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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riverrun buys murder-suicide novel set in the Hebrides

Quercus imprint riverrun has acquired Rebecca Wait’s new novel about the impact of a murder-suicide on a small island in the Hebrides. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-10-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Frankfurt Book Fair 2018: Cengage CEO Michael Hansen on the Company's Digital Switch

This fall, Cengage introduced Cengage Unlimited, a new digital subscription service. Does this mean the textbook's days are numbered? Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-10-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Walker buys magical middle-grade set in Siberia

Walker Books has acquired Nevertell, a middle-grade novel set in the wilderness of Siberia, by debut author Katharine Orton. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-10-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Weekly E-Ranking: Lethal White soars to digital summit

Robert Galbraith’s third Cormoran Strike title Lethal White has bagged the ebook number one straight out of the gate. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-10-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Canongate buys two more from Ambrose Parry

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[ The Bookseller | 2018-10-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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These 16 shows desperately want to be the next Game of Thrones

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[ Fast Company | 2018-10-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Sony Pictures buys Bad Mermaids film rights

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[ The Bookseller | 2018-10-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Weekly E-Ranking: Woodward puts Fear into digital field

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[ The Bookseller | 2018-10-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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History Press buys Nazi wives book

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[ The Bookseller | 2018-09-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Picador buys 'wild, sexy' US debut

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[ The Bookseller | 2018-09-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Harvill Secker buys 'stunning' literary thriller debut

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[ The Bookseller | 2018-09-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Galit Ariel Augments the Reality of Frankfurt: ‘Marrying the Digital and Physical Is the Best Way’

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[ Publishing Perspectives | 2018-09-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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OUP offers free dictionary access to UK state schools

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[ The Bookseller | 2018-09-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Borough Press buys debut by Charlotte Philby

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[ The Bookseller | 2018-09-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Hodder & Stoughton buys rugby memoir by Ian Robertson

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[ The Bookseller | 2018-09-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Hachette Children’s Group buys body positive title

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[ The Bookseller | 2018-09-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-09-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Nosy Crow buys Nizrana Farook debut

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Monday Wake-Up Call: Salesforce co-founder is buying Time. Plus, why Alex Bogusky rejoined CP&B

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[ Advertising Age | 2018-09-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Marc Benioff, the billionaire co-founder of software maker Salesforce.com Inc., is making a play to project his influence far beyond Silicon Valley with the purchase of Time magazine. The 53-year-old entrepreneur and his wife, Lynne, agreed to pay $190 million in cash to Meredith Corp. for the... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2018-09-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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