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This is going to be interesting for software distributed through systems like Valve's Steam, which is tied to a user account. If they want to continue selling t
by gpvos 14y ago
This is going to be interesting for software distributed through systems like Valve's Steam, which is tied to a user account. If they want to continue selling their games in Europe, they will have to create a way to transfer your license to someone else.
- pja 14y agoNot difficult: Valve can simply make it possible to gift your existing Steam games to any other Steam account. They already have the infrastructure in place: you can often (but not always) gift duplicates from bundles you buy to other Steam users. There'll be endless angst from the games industry if it comes to pass though.
- matt4711 14y agoFrom the german article "Sehe der mit dem Verkauf geschlossene Lizenzvertrag ein dauerhaftes Nutzungsrecht vor, sei dies nicht an den Erstkäufer gebunden - das Eigentum der Kopie werde übertragen, von der Firma an den Käufer" meaning "Permanent usage rights granted at the point of sale are not exclusive to original and may be transferred to a second buyer..." I'm guessing soon we will only be able to "buy" non permanent usage rights for stuff we buy on steam/random other online distribution platforms.
- jannorthoff 14y agoLike a 99 year license? Or maybe demos can be canned because people can just try and then sell it again if they don't like the game (as there's no using effect which would reduce the software's value)?
- matt4711 14y agowhen it comes to these things lawyers are unfortunately very creative :(
- stordoff 14y agoWhich is why the EU has legislation governing consumer contracts, requiring that the contract be written in plain language etc.
- bryanlarsen 14y agoLawyers are creative but judges are also usually pretty smart. They're quite capable of ruling that "if it looks like a sale and it acts like a sale, it's a sale" even if it's structured as a license.