Steam now includes an up front warning to customers that they’re buying a license, not a game ahead of a Californian law going into effect in 2025.
The change to Steam comes after California governor Gavin Newsom signed a law forcing digital marketplaces to make it clear to customers that when they buy media, they only buy a license to that media.
The law, AB 2426, prohibits online storefronts from using the words “buy, purchase, or any other term which a reasonable person would understand to confer an unrestricted ownership interest in the digital good or alongside an option for a time-limited rental.” The law won’t apply to storefronts that state in “plain language” that you’re actually just licensing the digital content and that license could expire at any time, or to products that can be permanently downloaded. Companies that violate the terms could be hit with a false advertising fine.
The law came in after a number of high-profile cases in which gamers saw their video games deleted following a server shutdown. Ubisoft sparked a backlash after it deleted The Crew from player libraries when that game’s servers went offline, meaning even those who paid full price for the open-world racer could no longer play it. Ubisoft eventually added offline modes to both The Crew 2 and The Crew Motorfest, but said it wouldn’t bring back the original following its shutdown in March.
Now, as spotted by Engadget and verified by IGN, Steam includes a warning at the shopping cart stage that tells customers they’re only buying a license to the game, which carries the implication that the license may be revoked in the future. The warning is displayed just below the ‘Continue to payment’ button.
“A purchase of a digital product grants a license for the product on Steam,” reads the warning, which points to the Steam Subscriber Agreement for full terms and conditions.
While the law that sparked the change was signed in California, Steam appears to have taken the initiative and added its warning in various regions across the world, including the UK.
“As retailers continue to pivot away from selling physical media, the need for consumer protections on the purchase of digital media has become increasingly more important,” California Assembly member and bill author Jacqui Irwin said in a statement issued last month.
“I thank the Governor for signing AB 2426, ensuring the false and deceptive advertising from sellers of digital media incorrectly telling consumers they own their purchases becomes a thing of the past.”
It’s worth noting that the new law still doesn’t prevent companies from yanking your content away from you, but at least they’ll have to warn you about the true nature of your purchase before you click that buy button.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
