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'


B&N buys writing skills firm for £45m

Barnes & Noble Education has bought writing skills services company Student Brands for $58.5m (£45m). Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-08-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


B&N Education Buys Student Brands for $58.5 Million

Barnes & Noble Education has acquired Student Brands, a direct-to-student subscription-based writing skills service, for $58.5 million. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-08-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Netflix buys comic book company behind Kick-Ass and Kingsman

Streaming giant aims to copy Marvel owner Disney’s superhero strategy with Millarworld, its first ever acquisitionNetflix has made its first acquisition, buying the Glasgow-based comic book company behind Kick-Ass and Kingsman, as it looks to imitate Marvel-owner Disney’s superhero... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2017-08-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #business today #morning shot


Survey: Navigating the programmatic buying environment

As programmatic continues to fuel digital publishing, new challenges and opportunities arise in a rapidly evolving monetization game. From user experience and audience targeting to improving ad quality, what tactics have worked for you? What hasn’t? Take a few minutes to complete the survey to... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2017-07-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #post survey #opportunities arise #user experience #full report


Ceconomy buys controlling stake in France's Fnac Darty

German consumer electronics company Ceconomy has paid €425m to acquire the controlling stake of 24.33% in the Fnac Darty, the largest French cultural product chain, from Artémis. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-07-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #fnac darty #controlling stake


Laurene Powell Jobs Buys Majority Stake in the Atlantic

Laurene Powell Jobs's Emerson Collective has agreed to acquire a majority stake in the Atlantic, the iconic political and cultural magazine that has also become a force in digital publishing.Powell Jobs, the 53-year-old widow of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, is buying the stake from Atlantic... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2017-07-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #majority stake #digital publishing #national journal #government executive


Juvenile Categories Had Double-Digit Gains in the Week

At outlets that report to NPD BookScan, unit sales of print books were 6% higher in the week ended July 23, 2017, than in the similar week in 2016, led by double-digit increases in the two juvenile categories. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-07-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #juvenile categories #double-digit gains #print books #6% higher #double-digit increases


European Publishing Associations on Geo-Blocking, Ebooks, and the Digital Single Market

On the European Commission's geo-blocking regulations for ebooks, the Italian, Greek, French, and European publishing associations issue words of caution. The post European Publishing Associations on Geo-Blocking, Ebooks, and the Digital Single Market appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2017-07-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #european commission


Beynon joins HQ as head of digital publishing

HarperCollins imprint HQ has appointed Nia Beynon to the newly-created role head of digital publishing.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-07-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital publishing


Egmont buys YA 'feminist firecracker'

Egmont has signed a "major" new YA book on sexism for its Electric Monkey imprint, from screenwriter Laura Steven. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-07-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #ya book


Quercus buys Huguenot silk weavers debut

Quercus has bought a historical novel about Huguenot master silk weavers in 18th century Spitalfields, by a former lawyer inspired by exhibits in London's Victoria and Albert Museum. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-07-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #albert museum


Illustrated Harry Potter to be released in digital

Jim Kay’s illustrated edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone will be available digitally through Amazon Kindle for the first time this September. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-07-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #jim kay #amazon kindle


Headline buys 'haunted' YouTube explorer Weller

Headline has acquired a book by YouTuber Joe Weller based on his videos exploring "haunted" properties. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-07-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #headline buys


iBooks Bestsellers: 'Game of Thrones' Dominates

The season seven premiere of HBO’s adaptation skyrocketed George R.R. Martin’s ‘A Game of Thrones’ to #1 on the iBooks bestsellers list this week. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-07-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #ibooks bestsellers


Microsoft's first self-published Xbox indie games are here

Microsoft has quietly launched the Xbox Creators Program on Xbox One. Finding it and its wares on the Xbox Store may prove tough, however. Back in March, Microsoft said the self-publishing program would exist in its own subsection of the marketplace,... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2017-07-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Facebook always wins: Data shows publishers are buying far more Facebook traffic

Even with publishers grousing about Facebook's shortcomings as a source of revenue and organic traffic, publishers are putting a lot more resources into dark posts, according to Keywee data. The post Facebook always wins: Data shows publishers are buying far more Facebook traffic appeared first... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2017-07-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #facebook traffic #post facebook


Bryce Harper brings more than passion to the game; making baseball fun is beyond a slogan

There was no greater story line at the All-Star game than the rush to anoint Aaron Judge as the so-called face of baseball, replacing Mike Trout. Judge is Paul Bunyan in cleats, he hits baseballs to the moon, and he plays for the New York Yankees. Judge also is polite and respectful — just like... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2017-07-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #york yankees


Investment company Chester buys majority stake in Urbane

Chester Investment Group has acquired a majority shareholding in independent publisher Urbane Publications. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-07-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #majority shareholding


Hack: Publishers Game Facebook By Posting Pictures As 'Videos'

Credit: Illustration by Tam Nguyen/ Ad AgeIf you can't beat the system, game the system.Facebook has made it clear that it will prioritize and reward publishers who post video on the platform. But publishers lacking in video content need not wory, though: One new tactic involves posting static... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2017-07-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #post video #video content


Walker buys two from Ardargh and Elwick

Walker Books has bought two more titles in a new illustrated fiction series from Philip Ardagh and Elissa Elwick about a detective duo of a young girl and her French poodle. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-07-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #walker books #philip ardagh #detective duo #young girl