US Representative Ritchie Torres has introduced a bill called the Power To The Players Act. It would direct the Federal Trade Commission to write rules saying that when you buy a game, you own it. Today, most digital games are sold as a licence, not as property.
Many games need a company server to work. When the servers shut down, the game stops working. Torres points to NBA 2K25, which will be removed from stores and have its servers closed on 31 December.
The bill would also require an offline mode before servers are switched off.
π The Backstory
The debate grew after Sony said it plans to stop making physical game discs in 2028. Players worry that games they paid for can vanish. A similar bill in Pennsylvania, the Protect Our Games Act, would require an offline mode or a refund of at least 25 per cent.
Game makers say servers cost money to run and that licences keep prices down. Torres said a game that can be taken away is not a purchase but a rental.
π― Why It Matters
If you pay for a game, you expect to keep it. This bill would decide whether digital games are really yours or only borrowed.
US Representative Ritchie Torres has introduced a bill called the Power To The Players Act. It would direct the Federal Trade Commission to write rules saying that when you buy a game, you own it. Today, most digital games are sold as a licence, not as property.
Many games need a company server to work. When the servers shut down, the game stops working. Torres points to NBA 2K25, which will be removed from stores and have its servers closed on 31 December.
The bill would also require an offline mode before servers are switched off.
The debate grew after Sony said it plans to stop making physical game discs in 2028. Players worry that games they paid for can vanish. A similar bill in Pennsylvania, the Protect Our Games Act, would require an offline mode or a refund of at least 25 per cent.
Game makers say servers cost money to run and that licences keep prices down. Torres said a game that can be taken away is not a purchase but a rental.
If you pay for a game, you expect to keep it. This bill would decide whether digital games are really yours or only borrowed.