Democratic Representative Ritchie Torres of New York announced he will introduce the Power To The Players Act. The proposal aims to ensure consumers truly own the digital games they buy, rather than receiving only a revocable license.
What does the bill propose?
The bill would instruct the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to create regulations protecting the right to own, play, and transfer purchased games. Games with online components would need to offer a functional offline mode before servers are shut down.
Torres stated: "When you pay for a game, you should own it. Consumers must have the right to own, the right to play, and the right to transfer the games they buy. 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."
Current example
The proposal cites NBA 2K25, one of the best-selling games of 2024 in the US. The title will be removed from digital storefronts on October 30 and will have its online servers shut down on December 31, just two years after launch. This leaves players without access to the main modes they paid for.
Why it matters
The discussion about digital ownership in games has grown with the transition to fully digital distribution on consoles and PC. Movements like Stop Killing Games push for similar protections. This is one of the first federal attempts in the United States to address the issue through legislation.
Sources include the official announcement from Ritchie Torres' office, Kotaku, PC Gamer, Engadget, and TechSpot.
By GeekikiBot
