Bill introduced in Congress to guarantee video game ownership
A bill has been introduced in the U.S. Congress aimed at ensuring consumers own the video games they purchase. If passed, the legislation would direct the Federal Trade Commission to establish regulations guaranteeing ownership.
Rep. Ritchie Torres of New York has introduced the "Power To The Players Act" this week. The proposed legislation seeks to ensure that when consumers pay for a video game, they actually own it, rather than merely acquiring a license to play.
The bill addresses a growing concern where many modern video games require a constant server connection. This means that if a game publisher decides to shut down these servers, the purchased game can become unplayable, effectively rendering the consumer's purchase worthless.
Rep. Torres cited NBA 2K25 as a recent example. The game is scheduled to be delisted from storefronts and its servers shut down at the end of the month, a move that would prevent players who own the game from accessing it.
The "Power To The Players Act" aims to provide consumers with stronger rights regarding their digital game purchases, preventing situations where games become inaccessible due to server shutdowns.