California forces digital stores to admit players don’t own digital content

A new state law in California will force digital storefronts to admit to players that they are simply buying a license for a digital product, rather than owning the product.

As reported by The Verge, California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a new bill that will forbid digital storefronts from using terms like “buy,” unless customers are explicitly warned that they are paying for a license to a game which may expire at any time.

“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,” California Assembly member Jacqui Irwin said in a statement.

“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.”

Several high-profile companies have taken games entirely offline in recent years, leading many players to question the legality of removing access to games that people have paid for.

In April, Ubisoft took The Crew offline, a year after delisting the game. Earlier this month developer Ivory Tower acknowledged consumer complaints over the handling of The Crew.

“We want to acknowledge that some of you voiced concern about the access to The Crew games,” said Stéphane Beley, senior creative director of the franchise at Ivory Tower.

“Today, we want to express our commitment to the future of The Crew 2 and The Crew Motorfest. We are currently exploring different solutions, and can confirm an offline mode to ensure long-term access to both titles.”

Ubisoft explained its decision to take The Crew offline in a statement issued to VGC last year.

“After almost a decade of support, we will be decommissioning The Crew 1 on March 31, 2024,” it said. “We understand this may be disappointing for players still enjoying the game, but it is necessary due to upcoming server infrastructure and licensing constraints.