<h1>Steam Clarifies Purchases as Licenses Amid New California Law</h1>
Valve has updated Steam’s checkout process to clearly state that purchasing a game grants a license to use the game, rather than ownership of the actual game. This move comes in response to California’s law AB 2426, set to take effect in 2025, which mandates explicit clarity for digital media purchases to prevent deceptive practices.
The change can currently be seen on Steam’s desktop platform, though it has not yet been implemented on the mobile app. The new messaging aims to eliminate confusion that has arisen from instances where platforms like Ubisoft and PlayStation removed digital content, highlighting the difference between owning a game and holding a license to use it.
In light of this development, <a href="http://GOG.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">GOG.com</a> has underscored its commitment to user ownership through its DRM-free policy. GOG offers offline installers, ensuring that once a game is purchased, it cannot be taken away from the user, even if external factors come into play. This reinforces GOG’s stance on preserving players’ gaming legacy, contrasting with the approach taken by other major digital storefronts that have yet to make similar updates.
As digital consumption continues to grow, platforms are increasingly pressured to ensure transparency and protect consumer rights. Steam’s update reinforces the importance of understanding digital purchases, setting a precedent that other storefronts may soon follow.

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Valve has updated Steam's checkout process to clarify that purchasing a game grants a license to use it, rather than ownership, in response to California's law AB 2426. The change aims to address confusion and emphasizes the difference between licensing and owning digital content. Meanwhile, GOG.com reinforces its DRM-free policy to ensure user ownership of purchased games, highlighting the importance of consumer rights in digital purchases.

Steam Now Explicitly States Game Purchases Are Licenses, Not Ownership

Ross from accursed farms is going to lose his mind over this. But he already stated: “US citizens are animals, and you can’t defraud an animal”
So we have to hope the EU will save the right to owership.
For now, don’t buy shit, piracy is not stealing since you can’t own it even if you payed for it.

To be frank, if anyone is surprised by this then they haven’t read a EULA in several years.