They can't take your movies, books, and videogames away without warning.

[usonian]

Full title:
New California law inspired by Ubisoft and Sony requires retailers to warn consumers that the digital games they buy can be taken away at any time

https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/new-california-law-inspired-by-ubisoft-and-sony-requires-retailers-to-warn-consumers-that-the-digital-games-they-buy-can-be-taken-away-at-any-time/

A new California law set to come into effect in 2025 will make it illegal for sellers to use terms like "buy" or "purchase" in relation to digital goods—movies, books, and of course videogames—unless they provide a "clear and conspicuous" warning to consumers that those goods could be taken away from them at any time.

The law, AB 2426, essentially expands upon existing laws against false advertising by restricting the use of any terms "which a reasonable person would understand to confer an unrestricted ownership." To ensure people understand that digital ownership isn't really ownership, sellers will need to either receive "an affirmative acknowledgment from the purchaser" at the time of transaction, or—and this is obviously the more practical approach—put a warning, "in a manner that clearly calls attention to the language," on relevant products.

Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin, the sponsor of the bill, told Game File she was initially prompted to take action by Sony's planned removal of Discovery content from the PlayStation store because of expiring licenses. Not only would the shows no longer be available for purchase, but those who had already purchased them would lose access. Sony eventually reversed the decision, but the damage was done: Irwin introduced the bill in February.

Two months later, Ubisoft helped convince her it was the right move when it started revoking licenses for the racing game The Crew. Sales of The Crew had already been halted in December 2023, but the game—including its singleplayer portion—was dependent on remote servers, and those went offline in April. That rendered the game unplayable even for those who already owned it, but Ubisoft apparently wanted to be sure nobody whipped up a DIY option to get the game running again.

Part of the law:
The digital product offers a "permanent offline download to an external storage source to be used without a connection to the internet


Obviously not applicable to multiplayer online games.

More details at the link.


AB 2426: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB2426

[Layzeebeaver]

1. I think this is good.

Without laws like this, One day we will wake up and only remember what it was like to own anything. Only the rich and companies will own things. And many of those things will be YOU.

[usonian]

3. This is the capitalist's dream. To own everything and the lower class pay rent until they die.

I’m in a philosophical mood this morning, and it’s really an imitation of monarchy.

Monarchs claim to be deigned by God, literally, and behave like omnipotent little gods, but with the right to be sleazy, rape anyone they choose, be brutal as it pleases … does this sound familiar?

I choose an opposite philosophy, no omnipotent anything. And that works out better.

People just try to be their best selves, not some deity. But I digress.

Greed is such a poison. And we as a society worship it.

[JoseBalow]

2. You can't take it with you

Who knew?