With all the recent debate about digital ownership, I thought this was worth sharing.
Multiple Chinese courts have ruled that game accounts, virtual items, and other digital assets with real economic value can be inherited by a deceased player's family. In several cases, the courts also ruled that standard Terms of Service claiming accounts are non-transferable cannot override inheritance rights granted by law.
The rulings covered everything from valuable in-game items to game accounts worth hundreds of thousands of RMB, with courts ordering companies to cooperate with lawful heirs.
Given the recent discussion around PlayStation's digital future and game ownership, it's interesting to see courts taking the opposite approach by strengthening players' rights over digital gaming assets.