Steam now warns players that they are only purchasing a license to play the game when checking out.
In an update to the popular digital store’s checkout process, a message now appears: “When you purchase a digital product, you are licensed for that product on Steam.”
As always, these warnings were previously reserved only for the Terms of Use page.
This comes shortly after California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a new law banning digital stores from using terms like “purchase” unless they explicitly warn customers of gaming license fees, which can expire at any time. It came out not long after.
“As retailers continue to move away from selling physical media, the need for consumer protections for digital media purchases is increasingly important,” California Assemblywoman Jacqui Irwin said in a statement.
These protections currently apply only to California, but as the debate over ownership of digital goods continues, Valve appears to be forging ahead with similar rulings elsewhere.
Several high-profile companies have taken their games completely offline in recent years, which has led many players to question the legality of removing access to games people paid for.
Last April, Ubisoft took The Crew offline, a year after delisting the game. Earlier this month, developer Ivory Tower acknowledged consumer complaints about its handling of The Crew.
“We want to acknowledge that some of you have expressed concerns about access to The Crew games,” said Stéphane Beley, Senior Creative Director of the Ivory Tower franchise.
“Today we want to express our commitment to the future of The Crew 2 and The Crew Motorfest. We are currently exploring various solutions and may look at an offline mode to ensure long-term access to both titles.”
