Physical games have already been almost completely replaced by digital versions. Plus, if you go to the store to buy the actual game, you’ll rarely find the disc, the usual thing is to find a simple code. Surely you’ve never thought about it, but what’s going to happen to everyone? stratagem your digital library On Steam, PSN, Epic Games Store, and other digital stores. dice?
For the actual game, there’s no doubt about it. You have them in your house, they are your property, and you can do whatever you want with them. However, when it comes to digital games, the situation is quite different.
Can I transfer my game to a family member?
If you’re wondering whether a digital game is yours and you can do whatever you want with it, the answer is difficult. Digital games are generally End User License Agreement (EULA). This license effectively establishes a universal prohibition on digital file transfers.
Let’s take an example steam, It is the largest digital video game store in existence today. According to him Steam Subscriber Agreement:
You have the right to use the Content and Services for your personal use, but you do not have the right to: (i) sell, encumber or transfer in any way copies of the Content and Services to any other party, or rent, lease or license the Content and Services to any other party…
Something similar tells us. Terms of Service ~ Of playstation network From Sony. Here you can read:
You may not sell, buy, trade or otherwise transfer your online ID, account or personal access to PSN services through any means or means, including through the use of the Website.
You can check the terms of service of the rest of the digital game stores to see much the same thing. You expressly state that the Games belong solely to you and are solely for your use and enjoyment.
What we can do is leave the access credentials to whoever we want. The reality is that these platforms have no way to verify whether it is us or a third party using the account. They also have no way of knowing if we are dead.
Can I inherit my credentials?
We again face important legal issues. For practical purposes, all digital stores prevent sharing of credentials as specified in their terms of service.
You should be aware that enforcing this limit is really complicated and has loopholes. Because they can be accessed from anywhere in the world, it is nearly impossible to detect credential transmission. This allows us to leave behind access credentials to our digital library even after we die. You’ll simply need to provide a username and password, and if you’re using a password manager, it should provide a mechanism to access them.
It is important to keep in mind that there are significant gaps in the terms of service. In fact, we do not explicitly prohibit the transfer of user accounts after our death.
We assume it won’t be long before the first cases of lawsuits seeking access to the deceased’s library arrive. More and more users are using these platforms and may decide to abandon them upon their death. So at some point there will be some type of litigation and a judge will have to rule on what happens.
The first court ruling on this issue will likely create precedent. If the judge agrees with the digital store, there won’t be much to do. Saying that credentials can be inherited creates a precedent and allows you to leave your digital library as an inheritance.
