From The Verge · Terrence O'Brien · · 1m
Congress moves to guarantee game ownership
A new bill would stop companies from taking away games when they shut down servers.
In brief
A new bill would stop companies from taking away games when they shut down servers. Rep. Ritchie Torres introduced the Power To The Players Act to guarantee consumers own games they buy rather than license them, addressing server shutdowns that render titles unplayable. Originally reported by The Verge.
Torres introduces ownership bill
Rep.Ritchie Torres of New York's 15th congressional district introduced the Power To The Players Act this week.
Server shutdowns make games unplayable
Games increasingly require server connections.When companies shut down those servers, the games often become unplayable.Rep.Torres cites NBA 2K25 as a recent example.
Torres on ownership versus rental
In a statement announcing the bill, Rep. Torres said, "A game that can be taken away the moment a company pulls the plug is not a purchase. It is a rental disguised as a sale."
“A game that can be taken away the moment a company pulls the plug is not a purchase. It is a rental disguised as a sale.”
Bill requires offline mode before shutdown
The bill would require developers to institute an offline mode before shutting down supporting servers.A similar Pennsylvania bill by State Sen.
The bottom line
Rep. Ritchie Torres introduced the Power To The Players Act to guarantee consumers own games they buy rather than license them, addressing server shutdowns that render titles unplayable.
