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Sony Reminds PS Users They Don't Own Digital Games (games.gg)
submitted 3 days ago* by to c/technology@lemmy.world
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The relevant section is blunt. "The Software is licensed to you, not sold," the EULA states. "You are granted a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, and personal license to play or use the Software for your private, non-commercial use on the system or device it was intended for."

The terms also restrict renting, modifying, or obtaining games through unauthorised means. Nothing in there is new, technically. Sony's EULA has always said this. The timing is what makes it land differently right now.

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[–] 10 points 1 day ago (2 children)

To be fair, i recall Steam and GOG said that in case of a platform shutdown or if a game from your library is delisted, they can provide you a copy of the game files that you can keep and use.

The Sony policy is much more shady.

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  • [–] 5 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 child)

    in very limited terms I think Valve might fully remove games (like the crypto miner one) from accounts but other then that if you bought it you own it as far as I've seen with Steam. I have transformers devastation which was delisted, and while the achievements won't really show up on my account iirc, and I can't sell the card drops on the market, I can still install and play it fine

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  • [–] 2 points 1 day ago (1 child)

    Nah see my other comment. You don't own shit on Steam. In fact the agreement specifically says you may need to use the client and be connected to the Internet in order to even play your games. Like if steam shut down tomorrow and just stopped existing it's very possible they could legally just give you the middle finger and say sucks for you.

    IANAL and there's more to it than just the contract you have with Valve as far as the law goes but the way the contract is written you have no ownership of anything on the platform.

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  • [–] 4 points 1 day ago

    I interpret that as Steam covering for some enhittified games on their store that require a constant internet connection.

    For example several games I have in my Steam library work fine offline.

    But the Megaman Battle Network remake subtly requires an internet connection to start the gamea from the title screen.

    Very misleading as the game technically boots offline but you can't leave the title screen.

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  • [–] 4 points 1 day ago*

    The Sony policy is much more shady.

    It's not.

    There's a lot more in the agreement but this is the start of the licensing part.

    Valve hereby grants, and you accept, a non-exclusive license and right, to use the Content and Services for your personal, non-commercial use (except where commercial use is expressly allowed herein or in the applicable Subscription Terms). This license ends upon termination of (a) this Agreement or (b) a Subscription that includes the license. The Content and Services are licensed, not sold. Your license confers no title or ownership in the Content and Services. To make use of the Content and Services, you must have a Steam Account and you may be required to be running the Steam client and maintaining a connection to the Internet.

    (Emphasis mine)

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