These terms set out the basis on which we sell items through this website and on which you may hold an account with us. Please read them before placing an order.
Last updated 26 August 2026.
About us
The Digital Play Lab sells pre-owned video games, consoles and related items, and maintains a catalogue of them. We are based in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, and operate thedigitalplaylab.com.
You can reach us at thedigitalplaylab@gmail.com.
Acceptance
By using this website, creating an account or placing an order, you agree to these terms. If you do not agree to them, please do not use the website.
Your account
An account is free to create and there is no charge to maintain it.
Please provide an accurate email address, as this is how we will contact you about your orders. You are responsible for keeping your password confidential and for activity that takes place through your account. If you believe someone else has gained access to it, please tell us as soon as possible.
You may also sign in using a Discord, Twitch or Google account. This is an alternative way of accessing the same account rather than a separate one, and you may disconnect it at any time.
We may suspend or close an account where it is being used fraudulently, or in a way that disrupts the website or other customers. We will explain our reasons where we are able to. If we close an account for any other reason, we will refund any amount paid for items that have not yet been dispatched.
Our products
Pre-owned and sold as they are
Except where a listing states otherwise, every item we sell is pre-owned and is sold in the condition described in its listing. We are a reseller. We do not acquire stock from publishers, manufacturers or authorised distributors, and we do not represent any of them.
Pre-owned items show signs of previous ownership. Discs may have surface marks, cases may have wear, and printed materials may be creased or faded. We aim to describe these characteristics accurately rather than favourably, and photographs on a listing show the specific copy offered for sale unless the listing states otherwise.
Condition descriptions and grading
We assess and describe each item ourselves, against a published grading standard that is our own. It is not an industry standard, and it is not third-party authentication or professional grading. A grade we assign represents our considered opinion of an item’s condition at the time we examined it.
Colour, gloss and wear can appear differently between a photograph and the item in hand, and between one screen and another. Photographs are provided to assist you and are not a warranty of appearance.
Items described as sealed
Some items are described as sealed. Where we use that word, it means the following and only the following: the item was represented to us as sealed when we acquired it, we have not opened it, and on inspection its seal appears intact and consistent with an unopened copy.
Because we do not acquire stock from manufacturers or authorised distributors, we are not able to verify the manufacturing or distribution history of a sealed item, and we do not make any representation about it beyond the description given in the listing. We describe such items in good faith on the basis set out above.
If verified factory provenance is important to you, we would encourage you to consider a copy that has been authenticated and graded by a specialist third party, which is a service we do not provide.
Completeness, inserts and codes
Listings state what is present in the box. Where a manual, insert, slipcover, map or other component is absent, this is noted.
Where a download code, online pass or similar is present, we do not warrant that it is unused or that it remains valid. Codes of this kind are frequently expired or already redeemed, and we treat them as part of the physical contents of the box rather than as functioning content, unless a listing expressly states that a code has been tested and is unused.
Region and compatibility
We sell items from a number of regions, including imports. Region locking, voltage, cabling and video standards vary, and an item sold for one market may not operate on hardware intended for another. Listings state the region where we are aware of it, and it is your responsibility to confirm that an item is compatible with your equipment before ordering.
Online services and downloadable content
Many older titles relied on online services that have since been reduced or shut down by their publishers. We do not control those services and we do not warrant that any online feature, server, downloadable content or account-based entitlement associated with an item remains available. What we sell is the physical item described.
Consoles, accessories and other electronics
Consoles, controllers, cables and similar items are electronic goods manufactured by third parties. They are pre-owned, they are frequently many years old, and consumable components such as optical drives, thermal materials, internal batteries and power supplies degrade with age.
We test electronic items before dispatch and describe any faults we find. Where we dispatch an item as working, it was working when we dispatched it.
We did not manufacture these items and we cannot predict when a component within them will fail. Except where a listing expressly states a warranty period offered by us, no warranty is given beyond your statutory rights. Where we do offer a warranty on a particular item, its terms will appear on that item’s listing and those terms will govern it.
Unless a listing states otherwise, consoles are supplied unmodified and running the manufacturer’s standard software. Modifying an item, installing unofficial software, opening its casing or connecting it to unsuitable equipment after delivery is at your own risk, and we are not responsible for the consequences.
Batteries
Items that require batteries are supplied without them unless the listing expressly states otherwise, and you will need to provide your own. This applies to controllers, handheld accessories, light guns, peripherals and any other item that takes replaceable cells.
Older consoles and cartridges may contain internal batteries, such as those used to retain clock settings or saved data. These have a finite life, are frequently exhausted in an item of this age, and are treated as a consumable rather than a fault. Where we know an internal battery is exhausted we will say so in the listing.
Availability and pricing
Stock is generally limited to a single copy of each item. Adding an item to your basket does not reserve it, and a contract of sale is formed only when we confirm your order. If an item becomes unavailable after you have ordered it, we will contact you and refund the amount paid in full.
Prices are shown in Canadian dollars and exclude applicable taxes, which are calculated at checkout based on the delivery destination. We may change prices at any time, though a change will not affect an order we have already confirmed.
Our listings are prepared manually and it is possible for an error to occur. Where an item has been listed at a price that is clearly incorrect, we may cancel the order and provide a full refund rather than fulfil it. We will contact you if this happens.
Estimated values
Parts of this website display estimated values, including for items you record in your collection and for items in our catalogue. These figures are indicative only. They are derived from public sources and our own records, they change frequently, and they may be inaccurate or out of date.
They are not appraisals, they are not valuations for insurance or taxation purposes, and they are not financial advice. Please do not rely on them for any of those purposes.
Payment
Payments are processed by Stripe. Card details are provided directly to Stripe and are not held on our systems. Your order is accepted once payment has been received and we have sent confirmation.
Where a payment is reversed or charged back after an item has been dispatched, we reserve the right to recover the item or the amount owed, and to suspend the associated account pending resolution.
Delivery and collection
We deliver to the destinations listed on our Shipping page. That list changes from time to time, and the destinations shown there at the time you order are the ones we serve. Delivery charges vary by destination and are shown at checkout before you pay.
Collection within the Greater Toronto Area is also available and, where offered, appears as an option at checkout.
Orders are packed at weekends and dispatched on Mondays. Delivery is then carried out by an independent carrier whose timescales we do not control. Estimated delivery dates are estimates and not guarantees, and we are not liable for loss or inconvenience arising from a delay in transit.
We pack items appropriately for shipping. If an item arrives damaged, please contact us within 48 hours of delivery with photographs of the item and its packaging. We will replace or refund the item in accordance with our returns policy, and we will pursue any claim against the carrier ourselves. We ask that you retain the packaging until the matter is resolved, as carriers generally require it in order to consider a claim.
For collection in the Greater Toronto Area, arrangements are made individually by email. Please collect within the period agreed. Where an item is not collected and no contact is made within thirty days, we may return it to stock and refund the amount paid less any costs reasonably incurred.
Returns and refunds
Our full returns policy is set out on the Returns and refunds page and forms part of these terms.
Anything apparent on opening the parcel, including damage in transit, a wrong item, a missing component or a condition plainly different from the listing, should be reported within 48 hours of delivery.
A fault that only appears in use should be reported within 7 days for games and accessories, and within 30 days for consoles and other powered hardware.
A returned item must be complete and in the condition it was sent, apart from the fault claimed. Where an item comes back with components missing or with damage that was not present when it left us, we may reduce the refund accordingly or decline the return.
Where a return is agreed, you post the item back to us using a tracked service and we reimburse that postage once the item has reached us and the fault is confirmed. Because items are pre-owned and individually graded, we do not accept returns where you have changed your mind.
What “materially not as described” means
The test is objective. An item is materially not as described where there is a factual difference between what the listing stated or showed and what arrived, and that difference would matter to a reasonable buyer. It is a question of fact rather than of expectation, preference or disappointment.
The listing is the whole of the description, and that includes its photographs. Where a characteristic is stated in the text or visible in the photographs, it has been described, and it is not a ground for return.
Examples of an item that is materially not as described:
- The listing stated the manual was present and the item arrives without it.
- A title, platform or region other than the one ordered arrives.
- An item described as sealed arrives opened.
- A console described as tested and working does not power on.
- A stated component, such as a slipcover, steelbook, art book or figure, is absent.
- The disc arrives with scratches deep enough to affect play, where the listing described it as clean and the photographs did not show them.
- A case has cracks, splits or heavy discolouration that is neither mentioned in the description nor visible in any photograph.
- A code was expressly stated to have been tested and unused, and it has already been redeemed.
Examples of an item that is not materially not as described:
- Surface marks, scuffs or light scratches on a disc that were disclosed or are visible in the photographs.
- Yellowing or discolouration of plastic consistent with the age of the item, where it is visible in the photographs. Older handheld and console cases commonly yellow over time, and a copy that has aged is not thereby misdescribed.
- Shelf wear, creasing, fading, sticker residue or price stickers on a case or its inserts, where disclosed or shown.
- A download code, online pass or similar that is expired or already redeemed, unless the listing expressly stated it had been tested and was unused.
- An online service, server or downloadable content that has been discontinued by its publisher.
- Incompatibility with equipment intended for a different region, where the region was stated.
- A difference between the colour or finish shown on your screen and the item in hand.
- A view that the item is worse than its grade suggests, where the photographs show its condition accurately.
If you are uncertain whether something falls on one side of this line or the other, please send us photographs and we will look at it.
Nothing in these terms affects your statutory rights under applicable consumer protection legislation.
Membership
There is currently one membership plan, Player, which is free. A paid tier is in development and is not presently offered for sale. If it becomes available it will be optional, clearly priced, and cancellable at any time.
Your collection records
Information you enter into the collection feature belongs to you. It is private to your account unless you choose to make it visible, and we do not sell it or use it for advertising.
You may export your records or ask us to delete them at any time. We take care to keep them safe, but we recommend that you retain your own copy of anything you would be sorry to lose. Should the service be discontinued, we will give reasonable notice and provide a means of exporting your data.
Editorial content and opinion
This website publishes reviews, ratings, rankings, guides, test results, opinion pieces and magazine articles. That material represents our honest opinion and comment, formed in good faith on the information available to us at the time of writing.
It is offered as commentary. It is not advice, it is not a statement of fact about any third party, and it should not be relied upon as the basis for a purchase or any other decision. Views expressed about a product, a publisher, a platform or the industry are our own and are offered as fair comment on matters of public interest.
Our editorial content does not form part of the description of any item offered for sale. Where the two differ, the listing governs.
If you believe something we have published is factually inaccurate, please contact us and we will consider it promptly and correct anything we have got wrong.
Acceptable use
Please use the website lawfully and considerately. In particular, you agree not to attempt to gain unauthorised access to the website or to other users’ accounts, not to interfere with its operation, and not to use it to harass others.
Automated access
You may not access this website by automated means. This includes scrapers, crawlers, spiders, bots, headless browsers, scripts, extensions and any other automated process used to collect, copy, index, monitor or reproduce our listings, prices, photographs, descriptions, grading information, catalogue records or any other content.
This restriction applies whether or not the activity places any load on our systems, and applies regardless of the purpose for which the information is collected, including price comparison, resale, market analysis and the training of software or models.
Automated access of this kind is a breach of these terms. We may block it by technical means without notice, suspend or close any account associated with it, and pursue any remedy available to us.
Search engines operating within the directions given in our robots file are permitted. If you would like access to our data for another purpose, please write to us and ask.
Intellectual property
All rights, title and interest in this website and in everything it contains belong to Marsons Media Ltd or to its licensors, and are reserved.
That includes, without limitation, the name The Digital Play Lab, our logo, our branding and trade dress, the design, layout, structure and source code of the website, all written content including reviews, guides, articles and magazine material, all photography, our grading standard and the methodology behind it, our catalogue, our database and its structure and contents, and every associated copyright, trade mark, database right and other intellectual property right, whether registered or unregistered, anywhere in the world.
Nothing on this website transfers or licenses any of those rights to you. You may quote short extracts of our written content with attribution and a link. Any other reproduction, distribution, adaptation, republication or commercial use requires our prior written consent.
Game titles, cover artwork, logos and trade marks belong to their respective owners. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by or authorised by any publisher, manufacturer or platform holder. Such material appears here in the course of describing and selling physical copies of their products, and in the course of commentary and review.
Security of information
We maintain the safeguards described in our Privacy policy, and we keep the website and its software up to date.
No website, database or service provider can be guaranteed to be secure, and we do not warrant that unauthorised access to information held by us or by our providers will never occur. Where such an incident occurs we will act promptly to contain it and will notify affected individuals and the relevant authority as required by law.
To the fullest extent permitted by law, we are not liable for loss arising from unauthorised access to information that occurs despite our maintaining reasonable safeguards, or from an incident affecting a third-party provider that is outside our control.
Third-party websites
The website links to services operated by others. We do not control those services and we are not responsible for their content, their availability or their handling of your information.
Liability
We take care to describe items accurately and to deliver them in the condition described.
Except as required by applicable consumer protection law, the website and the items sold through it are provided on an “as is” basis, and we do not warrant that the website will be uninterrupted, error free or continuously available.
Where we are liable to you in connection with an item, our liability is limited to the amount you paid for that item. Where we are liable to you in connection with the website generally, our liability is limited to CA$100.
We are not liable for indirect or consequential loss, for loss of data, for loss of profit, or for loss arising from the failure of an electronic item after delivery except where that failure means the item was not as described when dispatched.
Nothing in these terms excludes or limits liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited, including liability for fraud or for death or personal injury caused by negligence.
Events outside our control
We are not liable for a failure or delay in performing our obligations where it results from something outside our reasonable control, including postal or carrier disruption, industrial action, severe weather, failure of utilities or telecommunications, and interruption of services provided by third parties. Where such an event occurs we will contact you and, where the delay is substantial, you may cancel and receive a refund for anything not yet dispatched.
Changes to these terms
We may amend these terms from time to time, and the date at the top of this page will be updated accordingly. Where a change is significant we will notify account holders by email. The terms applicable to an order are those in force at the time the order is placed.
General
If any provision of these terms is found to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions continue in force. A delay in enforcing a term is not a waiver of it. These terms, together with our returns policy and privacy policy, form the entire agreement between us in relation to your use of the website and any order placed through it. We may transfer our rights and obligations under these terms to another entity, and your rights will not be affected.
Governing law
These terms are governed by the laws of the Province of Ontario and the federal laws of Canada applicable therein, and the courts of Ontario shall have jurisdiction. If you are a consumer, this does not deprive you of the protection afforded by the law of your place of residence.
Contact
If you have a question or a concern about an order, please contact us at thedigitalplaylab@gmail.com and we will do our best to resolve it.
The Digital Play Lab is a trading name of Marsons Media Ltd, a corporation incorporated under the federal laws of Canada, with its registered office in the Province of Ontario. Marsons Media Ltd is the contracting party under these terms.