The Chinese software giant Tencent has registered a patent in China for a service that will allow users to effectively bequeath digital possessions to their heirs. This delights MeinMMO author Jürgen Horn, as he can finally pass on his ESO mounts and skins from Apex Legends and Fortnite to his son.
What is this patent about? Tencent, the Chinese giant corporation with the friendly penguin, has recently filed a patent for a service that makes digital possessions inheritable, according to industry expert Daniel Ahmad. It’s basically similar to the digital inheritance system that Apple has already introduced.
It’s about being able to legally transfer the ownership of individual digital possessions from one person to another. So not just by bequeathing entire accounts (which could already be done simply by passing on the username and password), but by specifically passing on individual items to the heirs.
And I think that is also badly needed because I want to know that my most valuable possessions are in good hands after my death!
Digital possessions must be protected after one’s death
That’s why it’s so important to me: I have actually spent a lot of money on digital items. I even go so far as to say that I probably have more digital items than physical ones. Except for the necessary hardware and a few clothes, my immediate personal possessions are now almost entirely digital.
And while it’s relatively easy to distribute my few physical things to my heirs, it’s not that simple with my digital items. Therefore, I am glad that there are currently serious efforts underway that will allow me to bequeath my skins and mounts in Apex Legends, Fortnite, and ESO specifically.
For example, I can bequeath my powerful mounts in ESO to my son, the cool Fortnite skins to my niece, and my Cyberpunk skin from Apex Legends to my buddy, who loves to play the game. The same goes for my digital audiobooks, which I can also distribute to the people I know are in good (virtual) hands.
It simply feels good to know that my beloved possessions won’t just be forgotten in data limbo when I depart from this earth. And I might be able to make my son happy someday when he pulls out daddy’s old rare Fortnite skins from Season 1.
