Steam now alerts users when purchasing a digital license

Steam is informing users of a change to their platform, in accordance with Canadian law, that clearly indicates when a digital product or license is being purchased instead of a physical one.

Clear indication of digital purchases: This change ensures that users are fully aware that they are purchasing a digital license for a product, rather than a physical copy.
Compliance with Canadian law: By implementing this change, Steam is staying up-to-date with recent amendments to Canadian law, which may also be adopted in other countries.
Preparation for future changes: By making this change now, Steam is preparing for potential future changes in other countries, ensuring that they are ahead of the game.

Steam is making a small but significant change to its platform to inform users that they are purchasing a digital license for products. This change aligns with recent amendments to Canadian law, which may also be adopted in other countries, such as the United States. Under this new law, digital platforms must clearly indicate when customers are buying a digital product or license instead of a physical one. The license only grants access to digital content, and it must be explicitly stated at the time of purchase that the product is in digital format.

This legislation applies to various digitally distributed content, including videos, games, music, ebooks, and more. Although it will only come into effect in 2025, Valve, the company behind Steam, seems to be preparing for the change by already indicating this separateion in Steam purchases. Users who make purchases on Steam will now notice a new notice stating that the product is digital and can only be accessed digitally.

It is highly likely that other platforms offering similar digital content will soon be required to implement this same measure. However, for now, this requirement only applies to Canada.

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Background Information

About Valve:

Valve Corporation, often referred to as Valve, is a important American video game and software development company. for its titles like Half-Life, Portal, and the digital distribution platform Steam, Valve has played a significant role in shaping the gaming industry. Established in 1996 by former Microsoft employees, Valve has since garnered a reputation for innovation, user-centric design, and fostering a strong modding community.