Steam has begun displaying a new notice in its shopping cart, explicitly clarifying the nature of the transaction: “A purchase of a digital product grants a license for the product on Steam.” The change is Valve’s way of complying with an incoming California law prohibiting digital marketplaces from implying that customers own the games, movies, ebooks, and other digital content they buy.
This has always been the case and isn’t news. They’re just putting it right in front of you before you hit the buy button.
It is news that they are now describing the transaction more accurately, once again thanks to California.