Buying digital games means you're just purchasing a license, California will force storefronts to admit
To combat disappearing games and "deceptive" terms.
California will soon require storefronts to make clear that purchasing digital content, including games, movies and music, does not mean you actually own it.
As of next year, Californian customers will be informed that buying a game on Steam, for example, means they are simply acquiring a license for the content. Terms such as "buy" and "purchase" will be banned from the sale process unless sufficient caveats are added.
The new legislation, AB 2426 - signed into law by Californian governer Gavin Newsom and first reported by The Verge - is designed to make consumers more aware of the sometimes-temporary nature of digital ownership.
Over the past few months, Ubisoft sparked headlines after it switched off its racer The Crew and subsequently removed it from players' accounts. We've also seen the swift deletion of Concord by PlayStation following the failure of that game (though refunds were provided.) And while free-to-play, EA announced last night it was switching off its veteran mobile hit The Simpsons: Tapped Out, after 12 years of people playing - and paying into - the app.
"As retailers continue to pivot away from selling physical media, the need for consumer protections on the purchase of digital media has become increasingly more important," said California Assembly member Jacqui Irwin.
"I thank the Governor for signing AB 2426, ensuring the false and deceptive advertising from sellers of digital media incorrectly telling consumers they own their purchases becomes a thing of the past."
It remains to be seen how storefronts will adapt to the law coming into force - and whether we might see those changes reflected more widely, outside of California.