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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2017 Folio: Ozzie Digital Awards Finalists

Folio: is pleased to announce the finalists of the 2017 Folio: Eddie & Ozzie Awards! Join our team and hundreds of your magazine media peers for a celebratory awards luncheon on October 11, 2017 from 12:30 - 2:00 p.m. during The Folio: Show at the Hilton Midtown in New York City as we unveil... Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2017-08-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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British Library to investigate 'single digital presence’ for public libraries

The British Library is leading an 18-month project to determine the possibility of a single digital presence for UK public libraries, backed by more than £260,000 worth of funding. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-08-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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2017 Folio: Eddie Digital Awards Finalists

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[ Folio Magazine | 2017-08-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Voice Search Changes Media Buying, Attribution, Publishing

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[ Advertising Age | 2017-08-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Freedom to Publish: FEP’s Mota Warns Romania May Allow Only One State Textbook Publisher

'Wearing the stigma of the former communist regime,' says the FEP's Henrique Mota, a single state-owned publisher may control all of Romania's textbooks. The post Freedom to Publish: FEP’s Mota Warns Romania May Allow Only One State Textbook Publisher appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2017-08-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Did a YA book buy its way to the top of the New York Times bestseller list?

For a few hours, a debut author shone at the top of the N.Y. Times bestseller list Thursday. But after online commenters questioned how the book got there, the paper removed "Handbook for Mortals" by Lani Sarem. What happened? Author Phil Stamper thought it was strange when "Handbook for Mortals"... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2017-08-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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[ Engadget | 2017-08-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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New Survey Shows Canadians Still Prefer Print Over Digital

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[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-08-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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How to Build a Digital Classroom

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School Librarians Are Teaching Digital Citizenship

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[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-08-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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ANA Pushes $50 Million Digital Media Pilot to Combat 'Ad-Tech Tax'

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[ Advertising Age | 2017-08-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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6 Powerful Insights Helping Digital Publisher Romper Reach Millennial Moms

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Halo Top Ice Cream and FX Are the First Brands to Back Gay Dating App Grindr’s New Digital Magazine

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CLA and Kortext buy library reading list management system

The Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA) and digital textbook provider Kortext have bought a reading lists management system, rebus:list, from library management supplier PTFS Europe. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-08-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Spotlight on OverDrive and Digital Book Clubs

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S&S buys magical hotel series from Butler

Simon & Schuster Children’s will publish a new middle grade series written by Steven Butler, with illustrations by Steven Lenton, about a Brighton hotel for magical creatures. Continue reading at The Bookseller

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Redesigned Popular Science Sees Print and Digital Readership Surge

The magazine’s new single-topic per print issue format appears to be paying off. The post Redesigned Popular Science Sees Print and Digital Readership Surge appeared first on Folio:. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

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Netflix buys Scottish comic book publisher Millarworld

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B&N buys writing skills firm for £45m

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[ The Bookseller | 2017-08-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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