News New Storefront Law Tells Us What We All Should Know: We Don't Own Digital Games

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The world is becoming increasingly digital when it comes to the media we consume. Streaming has reduced sales of music and movies dramatically, and games are headed the same way; over 90% of the games sold in the UK are digital.

Digital media has many positive aspects when it comes to video games. You can purchase a game directly through your console or computer without having to leave the house or wait for it to be delivered physically. You also don't have to swap discs or cartridges whenever you want to play a game, which is good news for those of us who tend to lose or misplace things (or are just plain lazy).

However, as many people are keen to point out, you don't actually own digital games, and a new Californian law will ensure buyers are keenly aware of this at the point of purchase.

As reported by The Verge (thanks, IGN), the law, AB 2426, will forbid digital storefronts from using the words "buy, purchase, or any other term which a reasonable person would understand to confer an unrestricted ownership interest in the digital good or alongside an option for a time-limited rental."

The law – which goes into effect next year – won't apply to storefronts that make it abundantly clear that buyers are merely licensing digital content. It also won't apply to products that can be permanently downloaded.

California Assembly member and bill author Jacqui Irwin said:

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. 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.

This new law naturally doesn't prevent companies from removing digital content from consumers' libraries, but it will at least make consumers more aware that, when downloading a game, film or album, you won't have access forever. There have already been examples of game publishers removing games from player's collections, and, in a more extreme example, when digital stores are closed down, all of the previously purchased games are no longer obtainable.

While this new law won't be news to people who have long been aware that you never own anything digital, it will hopefully make people more aware that, very often, there is a physical version available to purchase. It also makes us very glad that preservation (don't call it piracy!) exists, as it's often the only way to access games after they are removed from digital sale.