digital purchases

AppWizard
February 17, 2026
Aerial_Knight's DropShot, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, and Avowed are available today on February 17 through Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. Death Howl and EA Sports College Football 26 are coming soon on February 19, along with The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Complete Edition. TCG Card Shop Simulator is in Game Preview and will be available on February 24, followed by Dice A Million on February 25 and Towerborne on February 26. Final Fantasy III and Kingdom Come: Deliverance II will be released on March 3. Menace and Diablo II: Resurrected were released on February 5 and February 11, respectively, while High on Life 2 was released on February 13. Overwatch: Season 1: Conquest launched on February 10, introducing new Heroes and events. Microsoft Mahjong will have in-game benefits on February 24. Titles leaving Game Pass on February 28 include Monster Train, Expeditions: A MudRunner Game, Injustice 2, and Middle Earth: Shadow of War.
AppWizard
February 17, 2026
AerialKnight’s DropShot is available on February 17 for Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, Handheld, and PC via Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is also available on February 17 for the same platforms, featuring a first-person action-adventure experience. Avowed receives an update on February 17, introducing new playable races, a New Game Plus Mode, and a Photo Mode. Death Howl will launch on February 19 for Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, Handheld, and PC on Game Pass Ultimate and Premium. EA Sports College Football 26 is available on February 19 for Cloud and Xbox Series X|S, allowing players to represent 136 FBS schools. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Complete Edition launches on February 19 for Cloud and Console. TCG Card Shop Simulator enters Game Preview on February 24 for multiple platforms. Dice A Million will be available on PC on February 25 with Xbox Game Pass. Towerborne releases as a complete game on February 26 for Console, Handheld, and PC. Final Fantasy III and Kingdom Come: Deliverance II are set for March 3 on multiple platforms. Menace entered Game Preview on February 5 for PC, and Diablo II: Resurrected was released on February 11 for Console and PC. Overwatch: Season 1: Conquest began on February 10, introducing new heroes. Microsoft Mahjong will feature in-game benefits on February 24 for PC. Titles leaving Game Pass on February 28 include Monster Train, Expeditions: A MudRunner Game, Injustice 2, and Middle Earth: Shadow of War.
AppWizard
August 31, 2025
Recent findings indicate that digital purchases dominate the gaming market in Europe, with 90% of overall gaming revenue in 2024 coming from digital sales, marking a 5% increase from the previous year. Physical game purchases have decreased to 10% of total revenue, down from 20% in 2020, representing a 50% decline over four years. Overall gaming revenue grew by 4% in 2024. The reasons for the decline in physical sales remain unclear, whether due to consumer preference for digital formats or fewer physical game releases.
AppWizard
August 19, 2025
Google is allowing app developers in Europe to direct users to external websites for payments related to subscriptions and digital purchases, a change from its previous requirement to use Google's in-app payment system. This decision aligns with the European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA), which aims to reduce excessive control by major tech companies. Developers will benefit from retaining a larger portion of their revenue, and Google is reducing its first-year acquisition fee from 10% to 3%. The DMA prohibits self-preferencing and mandates that companies like Google open their platforms to competitors, with penalties for violations reaching up to 10% of global revenue. Google has faced over €8 billion in EU antitrust penalties in the past decade.
AppWizard
June 16, 2025
This afternoon, discounted games and applications are available for Android users on the Google Play Store. There are notable deals on PC notebooks, including the first discount on Microsoft's 2025 touchscreen Snapdragon Surface Laptop with 16GB of RAM, and the ASUS OLED Vivobook S 15. The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL has a significant price reduction, and there is an early discount on the 43mm OnePlus Watch 3. Several Android app and game deals are still active, providing value for digital purchases. The game DREDGE allows players to sell their catch, complete quests, and explore a remote archipelago called 'The Marrows,' featuring over 125 deep-sea creatures and unique island regions.
AppWizard
October 15, 2024
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
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 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.
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