As reported by outlets such as Tom's Hardware and China's People's Court Daily, Chinese courts recently ruled that video game accounts and virtual items carry real economic value under civil law and can be legally inherited by a deceased user's family. The court decisions established that statutory inheritance rights override platform Terms of Service, which traditionally classify accounts as non-transferable licenses that expire upon the holder's death. This ruling sets a major legal precedent for digital ownership, standing in sharp contrast to Western platforms like Steam and fueling a broader debate over whether digital purchases should be treated as personal property worldwide.