# Rep. Torres proposes bill to make games owned, not licensed

> A new bill would require video game companies to let players own their purchases and keep playing after servers shut down.
- Title: Rep. Torres proposes bill to make games owned, not licensed
- Summary: A new bill would require video game companies to let players own their purchases and keep playing after servers shut down. Rep. Ritchie Torres introduced the…
- Keywords: ritchie torres, power to players act, video game ownership, ftc regulation, game preservation, nba 2k25, digital licensing, consumer rights, technology, science, Rep, Torres
- Source: Ars Technica — https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2026/10/us-rep-proposes-bill-to-give-video-game-buyers-ownership-not-a-license
- Published: 2026-10-16T19:41:18+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: ritchie torres, power to players act, video game ownership, ftc regulation, game preservation, nba 2k25, digital licensing, consumer rights, technology, science
## Torres introduces ownership bill
Rep. Ritchie Torres, a Democrat from New York, proposed the Power to Players Act to ensure video game buyers own their purchases rather than holding licenses to play them.
## NBA 2K25 shows the problem
NBA 2K25 launched on September 6, 2025, but is scheduled to become unplayable on December 31 due to server shutdowns, illustrating the issue the bill aims to prevent.
## Torres on ownership rights
Torres stated consumers must have the right to own, play, and transfer games they buy. A game that vanishes when a company shuts servers is a rental disguised as a sale.

> When you pay for a game, you should own it.
## Restoring historical norms
Torres told Kotaku he believes the rule should be simple: if you pay for it, you own it.He called this a restoration to the historical norm of how games were experienced in the nineteen nineties.

> I think there should be a simple rule: if you pay for it, you own it.
## Wider movement on preservation
The bill arrives as game ownership and preservation become contested issues. Consumers protested Sony's plan to discontinue physical PlayStation game releases, though digital downloads account for eighty-two percent of full-game sales.
## Physical media alone won't solve it
Many disc-based games still require online servers to function. End-user license agreements make clear the user purchases a revocable license, not actual ownership, even when files are on physical media.
## Technical challenges ahead
The bill requires normally online-only games to offer offline modes so players can continue playing after servers shut down. Some online games may not be engineered to support this, requiring developers to redesign their architecture.
## Uncertain path to law
The bill faces a long legislative path and most proposed legislation never reaches a vote. The full text is not yet public, making it impossible to assess its effectiveness or enforceability at this stage.
## Key takeaway

Rep. Ritchie Torres introduced the Power to Players Act to give video game buyers ownership rather than licenses, preventing games from becoming unplayable when servers close.