Rep. Ritchie Torres introduced the Power To The Players Act, which would direct the FTC to guarantee consumers actual ownership of purchased games instead of licenses, and require publishers to add offline modes before shutting down servers.
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<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Rep. Ritchie Torres of New York's 15th congressional district in the Bronx introduced the <a href="https://ritchietorres.house.gov/posts/rep-torres-announces-power-to-the-players-act-legislation-to-ensure-gamers-own-their-games">Power To The Players Act</a> this week. If passed, the bill would direct the Federal Trade Commission to establish regulations that <a href="https://www.tomshardware.com/video-games/new-york-rep-announces-game-ownership-bill-that-would-require-consumer-ownership-rather-than-sale-of-licenses-would-also-require-publishers-to-keep-the-game-functional-after-support-ends">guarantee consumers ownership</a> of a game when they pay for it, rather than a licensing agreement.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">It's increasingly common for games sold to require a connection to a server. Meaning that when a company decides to shut down those servers, the games often become unplayable. Rep. Torres singles out <em>NBA 2K25</em> as a recent example. 2K will be delisting the game from storefronts at the end of the month and shutting down its servers on …</p>
<p><a href="https://www.theverge.com/policy/1013521/video-game-ownership-bill-congress-power-to-the-players-act">Read the full story at The Verge.</a></p>
# Video game ownership bill introduced in Congress
Source: [https://www.theverge.com/policy/1013521/video-game-ownership-bill-congress-power-to-the-players-act](https://www.theverge.com/policy/1013521/video-game-ownership-bill-congress-power-to-the-players-act)
[](https://www.theverge.com/authors/terrence-obrien)
Terrence O'Brien
is the Verge’s weekend editor\. He’s covered the tech industry for over 18 years and knows a thing or two about synths\.
Rep\. Ritchie Torres of New York’s 15th congressional district in the Bronx introduced the[Power To The Players Act](https://ritchietorres.house.gov/posts/rep-torres-announces-power-to-the-players-act-legislation-to-ensure-gamers-own-their-games)this week\. If passed, the bill would direct the Federal Trade Commission to establish regulations that[guarantee consumers ownership](https://www.tomshardware.com/video-games/new-york-rep-announces-game-ownership-bill-that-would-require-consumer-ownership-rather-than-sale-of-licenses-would-also-require-publishers-to-keep-the-game-functional-after-support-ends)of a game when they pay for it, rather than a licensing agreement\.
It’s increasingly common for games sold to require a connection to a server\. Meaning that when a company decides to shut down those servers, the games often become unplayable\. Rep\. Torres singles out*NBA 2K25*as a recent example\. 2K will be delisting the game from storefronts at the end of the month and shutting down its servers on December 31st, limiting its playability\.
Concerns around ownership, the ability to play, resell, or transfer games have drawn attention recently following Sony’s announcement that it planned to[phase out physical game discs](https://www.theverge.com/games/960160/sony-playstation-disc-production-ending)in 2028\. 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\.”
The bill would not only give players ownership of a game, “rather than a license to play it,” but also require developers to institute an offline mode before shutting down supporting servers\. That is similar to the[Protect Our Games Act](https://www.tomshardware.com/video-games/proposed-pennsylvania-law-targets-publishers-that-kill-digital-games-publishers-must-provide-offline-mode-an-independent-server-patch-or-a-25-percent-minimum-refund)introduced by State Sen\. John Kane in Pennsylvania, which would require companies to provide an offline gaming mode, an online gaming mode independent of the company’s servers, or a minimum 25 percent refund when titles are being sunset\.
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- Terrence O'Brien
US Rep. Ritchie Torres announced the Power To The Players Act, legislation directing the FTC to protect consumers' ability to own and play the video games they purchase, requiring ownership rights instead of revocable licenses and offline modes before server shutdowns.
US Rep. Ritchie Torres proposed the "Power to the Players Act," which would require game publishers to give buyers true ownership of their games rather than revocable licenses, mandating offline modes so games remain playable after server shutdowns. The article also notes how AI-powered decompilation tools are disrupting software preservation and complicating enforcement of existing copyright norms.
The California State Assembly passed the 'Protect Our Games Act' (AB 1921), requiring digital game publishers to maintain game playability after service termination, advancing the 'Stop Killing Games' movement.
California's Protect Our Games Act advances, requiring game publishers to either patch online games or offer refunds when they shut down, aiming to protect consumer purchases and preserve access to live-service games.