Steam’s Fine Print: You’re Just Renting, Not Buying Games

Imagine you've spent hours scrolling through Steam, adding games to your wishlist, and finally clicking 'buy' on a few titles. But have you ever stopped to think what happens to those games if your account gets hacked or you pass away? It’s a chilling thought that you don’t actually own those games in the traditional sense. So, what exactly are you paying for? Valve has recently updated their checkout page, making it clear that buying a game on Steam is more like renting. They’ve added a note that says, "A purchase of a digital product grants a license for the product on Steam." This change is likely in response to a new California law aimed at preventing false advertising of digital goods.

This law, signed by Governor Gavin Newsom, aims to make sure that sellers can’t use terms like "buy" or "purchase" if they don’t give you full ownership. They must explain that you’re actually getting a license, not a full property right. And they need to make this clear in plain language, with a link to their terms and conditions. So, the next time you add a game to your Steam library, remember you're not really buying it—you're just renting it. Think about it like borrowing a friend’s game. You can play it while you have access, but it’s not truly yours.

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