Steam alerts gamers of license-only purchases ahead of new California law

Steam has begun informing users that purchases on its platform are for a license, not ownership of a game, in what appears to be a move to comply with an upcoming California law.

The notice, spotted in the shopping cart before payment, clarifies that users are buying a license to access digital content on Steam. This comes in response to California’s AB 2426 law, set to take effect next year, requiring digital stores to clearly state that customers don’t own digital products they purchase.

The law aims to prevent confusion and address cases where companies remove access to digital content.