What happens to your Steam, PlayStation, Xbox, Kindle, and Audible libraries when you die?
When our parents passed away, they left behind physical bookshelves of novels, boxes of vinyl records, and stacks of DVD or cartridge games that anyone could pick up and enjoy. Today, a gamer or avid reader easily spends $3,000 to $15,000+ across a **Steam library**, **PlayStation Network (PSN)**, **Xbox Live**, **Nintendo eShop**, **Kindle**, **Audible**, and **Apple TV / iTunes** — all locked behind digital rights management (DRM) and two-factor authentication.
What Valve, Sony, Microsoft, Amazon, and Apple say in their Terms of Service
In 2024, when a gamer explicitly asked Valve Support whether they could leave their Steam library to a loved one in a legal will, Valve's official reply made international headlines: "Steam accounts and games are non-transferable. Steam Support can't provide someone else with access to the account or merge its contents with another account. I regret to inform you that your Steam account cannot be transferred via a will."
Look at how every major digital media platform treats your library if your family sends them a death certificate:
| Platform | Official Policy on Death / Will Transfer | What happens if you send a Death Certificate? | How families actually preserve access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam (Valve) | ✗ Strictly non-transferable in a will (Subscriber Agreement §1C) | ✗ Account is locked or terminated; cannot merge libraries | ✓ Leave Steam login + Steam Guard Mobile Authenticator recovery code (`R-code`) + Steam Families setup |
| PlayStation Network (Sony) / Xbox | ✗ License terminates upon death; no account transfer | ✗ Cancels billing and closes the account permanently | ✓ Leave console PIN + account login + 2FA backup codes (and remove credit card manually) |
| Kindle & Audible (Amazon) | ✗ Digital content licenses are non-transferable | ✗ Closing the Amazon account deletes all Kindle & Audible books | ✓ Leave Amazon login + set up Amazon Household Family Library + download DRM-free backups (`Libation`) |
| Apple Movies / Music Purchases | ✗ Apple Legacy Contact explicitly excludes DRM media purchases! | ✗ Purchased movies, apps, and books do NOT transfer to Legacy Contact | ✓ Leave the primary Apple ID password + iPhone passcode in Heritkey |
| GOG.com (Good Old Games) | ✓ DRM-free offline installers; GOG indicated willingness to honor court orders | ✓ Downloaded offline installers work forever without an account | ✓ Leave GOG login or external drive with offline installers |
Lock in the $3.99/month early-access price →Or $74.99 once for life. Your heirs never pay. Waitlist members keep the launch price.
Even Apple Legacy Contact deletes your movie, book, and app purchases!
Many Apple users assume that setting up an Apple Legacy Contact passes on their digital library. It does not. Apple's official support documentation explicitly states that when a Legacy Contact claims your account, **DRM-protected media — including movies, music, books, and App Store purchases — cannot be transferred**, and your original Apple ID is permanently locked once the Legacy Contact activation is approved (see what Apple Legacy Contact leaves out).
Why putting your Steam or Kindle account in a legal will is a mistake
- A will becomes a public court record during probate: Never write usernames or passwords in a last will and testament (see why you should never put passwords in your will).
- Sending a lawyer's letter or death certificate to Steam or Amazon triggers account closure: Once a customer support agent is officially notified that the account holder is deceased, their compliance script requires them to cancel recurring billing and freeze the account — locking your family out of thousands of dollars of games and books forever.
The 4-step playbook to actually pass on your games, ebooks, and audiobooks
If you want your kids, spouse, or sibling to be able to play your 400 Steam games or listen to your 200 Audible audiobooks after you are gone:
- Turn on family library sharing while you are alive: Enable **Steam Families** (which lets up to 5 family members play games from your library on their own accounts) and **Amazon Household Family Library** for Kindle and Audible books.
- Store your Steam Guard `R-code` (Recovery Code) in Heritkey: If your phone breaks or is reset, nobody can log into your Steam account without the **Steam Guard Mobile Authenticator Recovery Code** (starts with the letter `R` followed by 5 digits) AND access to the email address tied to your Steam account (see what happens to 2FA authenticator apps when you die).
- Store your Amazon, PSN, Xbox, and Apple ID credentials in Heritkey: Instead of notifying customer support of a death, your loved one can simply log into the account using your credentials from Heritkey, **manually delete the saved credit card and cancel Xbox Game Pass / PS Plus / Audible monthly billing**, and keep the account alive forever as a free library!
- Remember valuable Counter-Strike / Dota 2 / TF2 Steam Inventory skins: Some gamers hold $1,000 to $50,000+ in tradable Steam Community Market items (`CS2` knives, skins, or cases). If your family has your Steam login and mobile authenticator via Heritkey, they can trade or liquidate those items instead of losing them to a locked account.
Frequently asked questions
Can you leave a Steam account in a will?
No. Valve's Steam Subscriber Agreement states that your account and game subscriptions are personal and non-transferable. If you contact Steam Support with a will or death certificate, they will not transfer or merge the account. The only way for a family member to retain access is if you privately pass on your Steam login, email credentials, and Steam Guard recovery code.
What happens to my Audible and Kindle books if my family closes my Amazon account?
Closing a deceased person's Amazon account permanently erases their entire Kindle ebook and Audible audiobook library. Instead of closing the account, families who have the login credentials can cancel Prime and Audible subscriptions, remove saved credit cards, and keep the Amazon account open so Kindle devices and Audible apps continue working.
Does Apple Legacy Contact transfer my purchased movies and books?
No. Apple Legacy Contact only provides a copy of iCloud Photos, Notes, Mail, and device backups. It explicitly excludes movies, music, books, subscriptions, and Keychain passwords — and activating Legacy Contact permanently locks the original Apple ID.
How much does Heritkey cost?
Heritkey is $3.99/month or $74.99 once for lifetime access, with zero-knowledge AES-256-GCM encryption.
Keep your lifelong library of games, books, and movies in the family. Join the Heritkey early-access list for $3.99/month or $74.99 once for life.