A new message from Steam reminds you that you do not own your games.
Have you noticed a new message on Steam explaining your recent game purchases? This is due to a new law in California.
Players have recently noticed a new message in their Steam carts. This appears before finalizing a purchase, located just below the “Proceed to Checkout” button, and includes a computer graphic. The message states: “Purchasing a digital product grants a license for the product on Steam,” and provides a link to the subscription agreement. This update from Valve clarifies that users do not own the PC games they purchase, but instead receive a license to use the software.
The reason behind this change relates to new legislation in California (AB 2426), signed by Governor Gavin Newsom on September 24. This law requires companies to make it clear that consumers do not own digital goods, such as movies, e-books, and video games, after making a purchase. Failure to comply could result in companies facing penalties for false advertising. Additionally, the law stipulates that stores may offer a “license” only if easy access to the terms and conditions of that license is provided. A license implies that the seller can revoke access to the product if they no longer hold the corresponding license.
This legal framework does not apply to games that cannot be removed, such as those that can still be played as offline downloads once they are no longer available. According to Jacqui Irwin, the bill's author, the need for consumer protections in the purchase of digital media has become more relevant as retailers move away from selling physical media.
The implementation of this law responds to several incidents where users lost access to digital content, including video games, when these were removed from platforms. A notable case is that of Ubisoft, which pulled The Crew from online stores and shut down its servers, leaving the game owners unable to play. In response to fan pressure, the company announced that it would consider offline modes for future installments of The Crew.
Although the law will take effect next year, Valve seems to be taking the lead in this situation by reminding users that their purchases are temporary, although it will not change how purchases work in the Steam store. This is just one of the recent modifications Valve has made to its subscription agreement, where the policy has also been updated so that users are no longer required to undergo forced arbitration if they wish to sue the company.