Steam Now Makes It Clearer What You’re Really Buying
The biggest digital store for PC games on the planet, Steam, has updated its interface to include a disclaimer warning people that buying a game doesn’t mean you “own” it in the traditional sense.
A new banner on the site states, “A purchase of a digital product grants a license for the product on Steam.” This is part of the terms and conditions of the Steam Subscriber Agreement.
Steam’s new warning to customers
The introduction of this disclaimer follows new legislation from the state of California requiring digital storefronts–covering games, movies, music, and ebooks–to clarify licensing terms to customers. The law comes as questions have arisen in recent years regarding what “ownership” means in a world increasingly dominated by digital products.