From Newsgroup: comp.misc
Two interesting legal cases, one in Brazil <
https://www.tomshardware.com/video-games/xbox/brazilian-court-orders-microsoft-to-restore-a-gamers-account-and-digital-library-after-it-told-him-to-rebuy-his-games>,
and the other in China <
https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/big-tech/chinese-courts-allow-heirs-to-inherent-accounts-of-deceased-gamers-multiple-cases-spanning-years-establish-precedent-for-digital-ownership-of-games-in-game-items-and-microtransactions>
seem to affirm that buyers do indeed have property rights in console
games that they buy -- at least in certain countries outside the USA.
The first case did seem somewhat unfair: Microsoft permanently
suspended a person’s account, supposedly because of a security breach
(the authentication information had been changed -- presumbly in a
suspicious way?). This meant loss of all purchases tied to that account--permanently. They refused to lift the suspension, saying the
user had to create a new account and buy all the games over again.
Not good enough, ruled the small-claims tribunal.
The Chinese case has decided that relatives can inherit the game
accounts of deceased users, just like any other property.
Well, you know, companies *will* insist on using the term
“intellectual property” for their control over these assets, won’t
they? If it’s “property” to one side, why not to the other side as
well?
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