Steam now says the 'game' you're buying is just a license

(theverge.com)

29 points | by mfiguiere 15 hours ago ago

10 comments

  • j7ake an hour ago ago

    This is also true when you “buy” music from Apple.

  • pajeets 12 hours ago ago

    if buying isn't owning then pirating isn't stealing

  • ChrisArchitect 15 hours ago ago
  • 31337Logic 15 hours ago ago

    This is why piracy.

    • nosioptar 8 hours ago ago

      [dead]

    • TZubiri 12 hours ago ago

      No. Piracy is why this is.

  • beefnugs 6 hours ago ago

    Yes sadly when steam enshittifies, probably when gabe retires or it is sold, will be a painful betrayal and the end of buying games for a lot of people i think.

    Worse margins, shittier deals, old breaking deals, dozens or thousands of games disappearing from collections forever, privacy busting data collection, "new features" that will allow malware, more porn games. What a cash cow for someone, and a gut wrenching inevitability for most.

    • watwut 3 hours ago ago

      It factually like that before too, now it is just made clear during payment. That is a change for the better. Legally you have the same rights, you lost nothing. However, steam is not pretending anymore you have more rights then you actually do.

  • m0llusk 13 hours ago ago

    Wasn't this always obvious?

    • anon7000 13 hours ago ago

      They’re literally just adding some extra text in the checkout flow to make it more clear to consumers. It’s just been a license for decades