Steam now informs users that they are purchasing a license to access games and not the game itself

by Danny Craig  · 
Steam now informs users that they are purchasing a license to access games and not the game itself
Steam

Steam has been updated in response to a recent California law requiring storefronts to clearly state that customers are only purchasing licenses to access digital content.

The details:

  • Steam now includes a warning on the checkout page when players are purchasing content, stating that "purchase of a digital product grants a license for the product on Steam." While this has always been the case with purchases on the platform, this is the first time it has been made clear to users at the checkout rather than hidden among its terms and conditions.

  • The message's introduction was most likely prompted by AB 2426, a recently signed California legislation that requires digital storefronts like Steam to inform users that they do not own the content they may believe they are purchasing. The law prohibits stores from using terms like "buy" and "purchase" unless it is explicitly stated, as on Steam, that players are only acquiring a license.

  • Games that can be played without problems offline are exempt from the law, as are those available through subscription services and given to players for "free." GOG, the CD Projekt-owned storefront best known for older releases, has joked about adding a new message to its checkout page, reaffirming its current practice of providing installers that can be used offline without issue.

  • While the legislation is currently only in effect in California, it appears that Valve has chosen to display the message globally, with players reporting that they can see it in Europe and Asia.

  • The legislation came about after Ubisoft shut down The Crew's online services earlier this year, and the publisher also decided to remove copies of the title from players' libraries. This sparked a debate about digital content ownership, fueled by a similar situation in which paid Discovery TV shows were almost removed from PlayStation accounts in late 2023.

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