The button says Buy. The fine print says license. Most of the time the difference doesn’t matter, until the day it does.
Short version
- A digital game purchase is a license tied to your account, not a copy you own outright.
- Since January 1, 2025, California’s AB 2426 requires sellers who say ‘buy’ to make that clear.
- Delisted games usually stay in your library, but games that depend on servers can stop working when the servers close.
- DRM-free installers, physical copies and a well-protected account give you more control.
Here’s the uncomfortable short answer: when you buy a digital game, you’re almost always buying a license. It’s permission to download and play the game under the store’s terms, tied to your account. You can’t resell it, lend it out or leave it to your kids the way you could a shelf of cartridges.
For most people, most of the time, that’s fine. Your library sits there for years and everything works. The exceptions are worth knowing about.
What California now requires
California’s AB 2426 took effect on January 1, 2025. If a seller uses words like “buy” or “purchase” for a digital game, it has to make clear that you’re getting a license that can be revoked, either by having you acknowledge it at checkout or by showing a clear statement before you pay. Offline copies you can download and keep permanently are exempt.
Steam began showing a notice in the cart in October 2024, shortly after the law was signed: “A purchase of a digital product grants a license for the product on Steam.”
The law doesn’t change what you get. It changes what you’re told.
How it plays out in practice
| What happens | What it means for you | Example |
|---|---|---|
| A game is delisted | You can usually keep downloading and playing it; new buyers can’t get it | Games are often pulled when music, car or sports licenses expire |
| The servers shut down | Games that need those servers stop working, even single-player ones | Ubisoft shut down The Crew’s servers on March 31, 2024, and the online-only game became unplayable |
| A store or service closes | Depends entirely on the operator | Google closed Stadia in January 2023 and refunded game purchases |
| You lose your account | You can lose everything on it | Bans, hacks and forgotten logins all count |
Ways to keep more control
- DRM-free installers. GOG sells games with offline installers you can download and store yourself. Legally it’s still a license, but once you have the installer the game doesn’t need the store to install or run, apart from any online features.
- Physical copies, with eyes open. A disc can be resold or lent. But some discs and cartridges contain only part of the game or just a download key, and patches still come over the internet. Check the box and reviews before buying physical for preservation.
- Back up what you can. Keep DRM-free installers on a drive you control, and back up your progress too; our save data guide covers every platform.
- Protect the account. Two-factor authentication and up-to-date recovery details matter more when your account is your whole collection.
- Think twice about always-online single-player games if you want to replay them in ten years.
Our call
Digital is still a sensible way to buy most games. Just price in the risk: for a game you want to keep for decades, a DRM-free or physical copy is worth paying a bit more for. For something you’ll play once, the license is fine.
If what you really want is access to lots of games rather than ownership of a few, a subscription might suit you better; see game subscriptions compared. And if you’ve bought something you regret, the clock on digital game refunds is short, so act quickly.
Quick questions
Can I resell or give away a digital game?
Generally not. Licenses are tied to your account and stores don’t allow transfers, apart from family sharing features that let other people in your household play.
If a store closes, do I lose my games?
It depends on the operator. Google refunded purchases when Stadia closed, but there’s no general rule that requires it. DRM-free installers you’ve already downloaded keep working.
Does a game disc mean I own the game?
You own the disc and can usually resell it. But some discs and cartridges hold only part of the game or a download key, and many games need online updates, so read the box.
Store policies, subscription terms and platform features change often. This guide is general information for players in the U.S., not legal advice; check the current terms on the store’s or platform’s own help pages before relying on them.