California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a law, AB 2426, to address concerns over “disappearing” purchases of digital media, including games, movies, music, and ebooks. The law mandates that digital storefronts inform customers they are acquiring a license to use these products rather than indicating actual ownership, as reported by The Verge.
Sponsor
Geek Alliance LLCEffective next year, the legislation prohibits digital retailers from using terms like “buy” or…
Sponsor
Green Man Gaming Our hottest PC & XBOX game deals all in one place.Go on.... treat yourself to a new game.
1 Comment
This is a huge deal! It’s wild how we thought we were buying games, but really we’re just renting them for as long as the store decides to let us. I mean, what happens if a game gets pulled from the store? Do we just lose access to something we “bought”? It feels super sketchy, and I’m glad California is stepping up to clarify that.
Having to call it a “license” instead of a purchase is a big shift. It makes you think twice about all those digital libraries we’ve built up over the years. What’s the point of collecting games if they can just disappear on a whim? I hope other states follow suit because gamers deserve to know exactly what they’re getting into.