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Tom’s Guide
Tom’s Guide
Technology
Dave Meikleham

Steam now confirms you're buying a license, not a game — here’s why that sucks

Steam logo with various art of PC games in the background.

As someone who values the best Steam games pretty much as I appreciate oxygen, Valve has served me up a sad piece of news that has made me oh so salty. Said news revolves around an update to the Steam storefront that all but admits you’re actually not going to own that game sitting in your shopping cart. Instead, you’re essentially leasing it on a long-term loan.  

In a story first picked up by, then subsequently followed up on by Engadget, the site has highlighted the fact that the next time you’re about to buy a game on Valve’s digital storefront, you’re not technically purchasing at all.

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