digital ownership Archives

AppWizard

April 11, 2025

Ubisoft lawyers say players never owned The Crew

Ubisoft's lawyers have filed a motion to dismiss a class action lawsuit from California gamers, arguing that players do not have an inherent expectation of ownership after purchasing a game. This lawsuit follows the retirement of the online game The Crew in 2024, ten years after its release. Ubisoft's legal team stated that the game's closure was communicated on the product packaging and noted that the plaintiffs' claims include violations of California’s False Advertising Law, Unfair Competition Law, and the Consumer Legal Remedies Act, as well as accusations of common law fraud and breach of warranty. The plaintiffs have amended their complaint to include a claim regarding unspent in-game currency, suggesting it may violate state law requiring gift cards to retain validity indefinitely.

AppWizard

March 29, 2025

It still makes me uneasy that my hundreds of Steam games can’t be passed on when I die, at least not without violating the EULA

Shoot Many Robots was delisted from Steam at the request of its publisher, but it remains in the owner's Steam library. Steam's terms of service classify bequeathing an account as account sharing, limiting legitimate access for others. The gaming industry is experiencing volatility with frequent shutdowns of live service games, leading to calls for prioritizing game preservation, exemplified by the 'Stop Killing Games' campaign. GOG offers DRM-free titles and allows users to bequeath their libraries to heirs with proof of death, but acknowledges the lack of legal guidance on video game preservation. There is a growing demand for more robust frameworks governing game ownership and sustainable digital alternatives for future generations.

AppWizard

December 23, 2024

Valve changed gaming forever with a single app

Valve's Steam was launched on September 12, 2003, as a digital game distribution platform, initially intended to distribute updates for games like Half-Life 2. It evolved from a patching service to a comprehensive storefront, allowing players to buy, download, install, and launch PC games quickly. Steam's requirement for internet access and authentication for Half-Life 2 marked a significant shift in the gaming landscape. The platform faced challenges, including the problematic Steam Greenlight program, which was replaced due to an overwhelming number of submissions. Despite competition from other platforms, Steam has maintained its market dominance, raising questions about digital ownership. Users appreciate Steam for its sales, functionality, and user-friendly interface, making it a preferred choice for many gamers.

AppWizard

December 23, 2024

2024 was the year gamers really started pushing back on the erosion of game ownership

The landscape of digital game ownership has come under scrutiny as digital distribution increases, leading gamers to question their true ownership of purchased titles. Many high-profile games have disappeared from digital platforms, including Sony's Concord, which was discontinued just 11 days after launch. The Stop Killing Games campaign, initiated by YouTuber Ross Scott, gained traction after Ubisoft shut down The Crew, a decade-old racing game, making it unplayable due to server and licensing issues. The campaign advocates for classifying video games as "goods" rather than "services," arguing that purchased games should not be rendered inoperable. The petition has over 400,000 signatures, aiming for a million by July 2025 to prompt the EU to consider a ban on making multiplayer games unplayable. Steam has updated its disclaimers regarding ownership in response to these issues, influenced by a new Californian law requiring retailers to inform consumers about the revocability of digital games. GOG has positioned itself as a champion of consumer rights, ensuring that purchased games remain with the buyer indefinitely and allowing users to bequeath their game libraries. Industry leaders, including Michael Douse from Larian Studios, have expressed concerns about the implications of losing ownership for developers. While some publishers recognize the value of preserving older titles, others remain less attuned to this importance. The conversation around ownership and preservation is intensifying, highlighting that players do not truly own their games on platforms like Steam, where access can be revoked at any time.

AppWizard

December 12, 2024

Humble Bundle’s revoked all those Indiana Jones keys it gave away for free (even if it was already in your Steam library)

Humble Bundle mistakenly advertised Indiana Jones and the Great Circle as a free game due to a pricing error and subsequently revoked all digital keys, even from players who had activated the game. The game has been completely delisted from the Humble Bundle platform. Players expressed disappointment on social media after discovering the game was removed from their libraries. Speculation exists about potential repercussions from stakeholders like Microsoft or Zenimax regarding the distribution of the game for free.

AppWizard

December 5, 2024

GOG’s Game Preservation Effort Will Include Delisted Titles

GOG has launched a "Good Old Games" preservation program featuring an initial selection of 100 titles, ensuring they are playable on modern PCs with the latest Windows versions and graphics drivers. The program includes ongoing support for bug fixes and a support service for players encountering issues. GOG will continue to support classic titles like Warcraft and Warcraft II, even after their removal from the store by Blizzard. The initiative aims to address the challenges of game preservation, including the complexities of digital ownership and securing rights from publishers. GOG employs open-source emulators for older DOS-based games and has undertaken quality assurance processes for the titles in the program. The company plans to expand the preservation program monthly and has invested in resolving persistent issues, such as a memory leak in Dragon Age: Origins.

AppWizard

October 15, 2024

Steam now confirms you’re buying a license, not a game — here’s why that sucks

Valve's update to the Steam storefront clarifies that purchasing a game on Steam grants a license rather than ownership, stating that "The Content and Services are licensed, not sold." This change has raised concerns among Steam's 123 million active users, especially in light of California's “AB 2426,” which requires digital storefronts to inform consumers that they are acquiring a license instead of outright ownership. The law affects various digital products, and non-compliance could lead to fines. An example of the implications of this shift is seen with Ubisoft's The Crew, which was delisted from Steam, resulting in users losing access to the game. This situation has prompted some users to reconsider their purchasing habits and consider physical copies for true ownership.

AppWizard

October 14, 2024

Valve reminds gamers of the real cost of its epic Steam Sales

Many gamers have accumulated large libraries of Steam games due to discounts, but recent discussions reveal that purchasing a game on Steam grants a license rather than ownership, resembling a rental agreement. This clarification is linked to California's AB 2426 law, which aims to improve transparency in digital purchases. In contrast, Good Old Games (GOG) offers offline installers for their games, allowing users to retain access even if the platform ceases operations. However, if GOG were to shut down, access to those games could also be lost.

AppWizard

October 12, 2024

Steam checkout banner clarifies you don’t own the game you buy — GOG takes a jab at Steam, saying it gives users offline installers that cannot be taken away | Tom’s Hardware

Steam has updated its shopping cart page to include a banner stating, “A purchase of a digital product grants a license for the product on Steam,” in response to California's AB 2426 legislation, which requires sellers of digital goods to clarify consumer rights regarding ownership. Steam operates on a licensing model, meaning users do not have outright ownership of games, and if a developer removes a title, it disappears from the user's library, although downloaded games remain accessible. In contrast, GOG allows users to retain purchased games indefinitely, regardless of developer actions, and has hinted at introducing a similar message emphasizing permanent access. The debate over licensing versus purchasing reflects broader concerns about digital ownership in the gaming industry.

AppWizard

October 12, 2024

Steam now reminds you that you don’t actually own your PC games library

Steam has started notifying users at the point of purchase that they are acquiring a license for digital software rather than outright ownership. This change includes a message during checkout stating, "A purchase of a digital product grants a license for the product on Steam." This initiative may be in response to California's AB 2426 law, which requires digital retailers to clarify the nature of transactions. Steam's long-standing subscriber agreement has emphasized that content is licensed, not sold, and that all ownership rights remain with Valve and its licensors.