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'


Barnes & Noble kills off Nook app and video store as part of digital retreat

Barnes & Noble ceded another battle in the ongoing war with Amazon over digital hearts and minds.The company will end the dedicated Nook app and video store on March 15, which was where you could purchase content for Nook-branded hardware, according to a report in diginomica.Nook digital... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2016-03-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #android device #mobile apps #barnes noble #tv shows


Dodgers win a pair of split squad games against the Cubs and Mariners

Dodgers 6, Chicago Cubs 5 Dodgers 8, Seattle 4 (10 innings) AT THE PLATE: The Dodgers beat the Cubs by scoring twice in the bottom of the ninth — on a game-tying walk with the bases loaded, then a walk-off walk. Austin Barnes, the third catcher on a team that might carry only two catchers, hit... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2016-03-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #austin barnes


Mediaocean, Rubicon Link Up in an Effort to Automate All Digital Media Transactions

Mediaocean has tapped ad tech firm Rubicon Project to build a system aimed at automating the process of buying and selling the massive amount of premium digital media inventory that's still bought and sold through manual processes. In the process, the ad inventory that Rubicon offers... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2016-03-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #media buyers #ad inventory #core business #inventory programmatically


How a digital brand proved that print media isn’t Roadkill

Video is the future and print is as good as dead, right? For most publishers video is a test track for new content. A place to take fresh content ideas for a spin and see how they handle. TEN took that process to its logical conclusion with Roadkill, a popular youtube series that has now spawned... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2016-03-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #print magazine


‘Transformation’ at Digital Book World: Wide-Eyed and Learning

This year's Digital Book World seems to be off to a start led by inquiry, guidance, and a pressing question: what's next? The post ‘Transformation’ at Digital Book World: Wide-Eyed and Learning appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2016-03-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


DBW 2016: A Moral Framework for the Digital Revolution

Digital Book World opened with a call for more marketing collaboration between publishers and their authors, and a keynote from the director of USC's Innovation Lab about how the major tech companies have destroyed government regulation in order to build dominant market shares. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-03-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital revolution #innovation lab


Startup Village for Digital Natives at Leipzig Book Fair

The 2016 Leipzig Book Fair will introduce a new startup showcase called Neuland 2.0 that will highlight the latest innovations and ideas for books. The post Startup Village for Digital Natives at Leipzig Book Fair appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2016-03-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #startup village #digital natives


‘The Persistence of Print’ at Digital Book World

On the first day of Digital Book World, the children's market focused on gains and print loyalty, and workshops explored the digital development of sales and audience. The post ‘The Persistence of Print’ at Digital Book World appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2016-03-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital development


B&N Education Takes $12 Million Charge In Digital Revamp

Barnes & Noble Education is closing its Yuzu educational platform and replacing it with a longterm deal with VitalSource and the purchase of LoudCloud, a digital platform and analytics provider. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-03-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital revamp #digital platform


Jonathan Taplin’s Drive for a ‘Digital Renaissance’: DBW Keynote

Jonathan Taplin—producer of 'Mean Streets'—will lead Digital Book World's keynotes with a warning: publishing may be 'sleeping through a revolution.' The post Jonathan Taplin’s Drive for a ‘Digital Renaissance’: DBW Keynote appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2016-03-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #jonathan taplin


Digital and Data Drive Growth in Fulfillment Services

Non-traditional products and services are key for fulfillment providers, publishing clients alike, according to the 2016 Fulfillment Services Bureau Survey. The post Digital and Data Drive Growth in Fulfillment Services appeared first on Folio:. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2016-03-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #fulfillment services #post digital


Ingram Buys Perseus' Distribution Business

Ingram Content Group has acquired the distribution arm of the Perseus Books Group for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition comes on the heels of the sale, earlier this week, of Perseus' publishing division. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-03-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #distribution business #distribution arm #publishing division


With Earnings Up in Q3, B&N States Plan to Open New Concept Stores

Although revenue at Barnes & Noble fell 1.8% in the third quarter, net income increased 11.2%. While delivering its latest earnings report, the retailer also said it is planning to open four new concept stores by April 2017. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-03-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #concept stores


Free Speech, Digital Piracy Headline AAP Annual Meeting

A collection of speakers at the Tuesday event discussed suppression of free speech in public schools, the protection of intellectual property, and how some educational software is now being crafted in the form of social media. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-03-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #free speech #public schools #intellectual property


Hachette Agrees to Buy Perseus Publishing Business

The Hachette Book Group has signed a binding agreement to acquire the nine publishing imprints of Perseus Books Group and talks are continuing to sell Perseus's distribution division. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-03-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #hachette agrees #publishing imprints


Barnes & Noble to launch 'digital-physical' store

Barnes and Noble has revealed plans to launch a new "prototype" store later this year, a US conference has heard. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-02-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #barnes noble #revealed plans


Digitization First: Russia’s Moscow and St. Petersburg Libraries

The Russian government has embarked on a plan to merge the collections of the St. Petersburg and Moscow State Libraries. The post Digitization First: Russia’s Moscow and St. Petersburg Libraries appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2016-02-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #russian government


Contently Buys Analytics Startup That Tells B2B Marketers How Well Their Downloads Work

Contently has purchased Docalytics for an undisclosed sum to ramp up its data offerings for publishing-minded, business-to-business clients. In the increasingly competitive content marketing space, Contently hopes to offer customers better actionable results.  "Data is key to B2B marketers, and... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2016-02-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #white papers


'Jet Set Radio' is absolutely free on Steam

Cupid may have left you high and dry, but have no fear: Sega wants you to have some free games to make up for it. See, as part of the publisher's Make War Not Love event this year, everyone on Steam can grab gratis copies of Jet Set Radio, Golden Axe... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2016-02-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #free games


Rights Platforms: Can Digital Match the Human Touch?

Calling rights agents, directors, scouts: With the rise of digital rights platforms, what happens to the person-to-person nature of publishing rights transactions? We'd like to hear from you. The post Rights Platforms: Can Digital Match the Human Touch? appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2016-02-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #human touch