With Silent Hill f ad, Xbox suddenly makes it clear that buyers don't own games with DRM

As digital gaming takes over, more buyers are aware that they only possess licenses to play those games. Owners will no longer be able to enjoy these titles if publishers or platforms revoke access to them. Still, Xbox games haven’t made that fact as obvious as it has recently. A new disclaimer below Silent Hill f is prompting gamers to wonder why Microsoft has altered its messaging.

When considering Silent Hill f, buyers now know with certainty that “buying or purchasing any digital products is a license”. Redditors believe that the changes are in response to a California law passed in 2024. The legislation requires marketplaces to indicate that they have permission to use a digital game, but lack ownership rights. It also prohibits using language like “buy” or “purchase” without a disclaimer.

Instead of limiting the message to California buyers, Microsoft may have found it more practical to add the text site-wide. Nevertheless, it’s unlikely to appease advocates of physical game preservation. Games with DRM rely on servers for authentication, which means they can become unplayable without warning. There are even more concerns with subscription models like Game Pass.

Subscription services are rapidly increasing in popularity

It doesn’t yet apply to Silent Hill f, but Microsoft regularly adds and removes Xbox Game Pass games, sometimes giving only two weeks' notice. Gamers can devote significant bandwidth and storage space to titles, with no guarantees as to how long they will remain bootable. Recent Xbox price increases also show that the cost of continued access can rise dramatically.

Competing subscription plans like PlayStation Plus have some differences. Essential tier members can play their free monthly games or download them again later with an active membership.

Observant gamers would have already noticed disclaimers like the one seen with Silent Hill f. For quite some time, Steam checkout has informed buyers that they are only acquiring a license. Even though Valve doesn’t block gamers from playing even delisted titles, there are more considerations. Many games won’t function without publisher-controller servers. That has led buyers to consider GOG as a marketplace for DRM-free titles.