Technology

Video Game Ownership Bill Introduced in Congress

AI SUMMARY

Rep. Ritchie Torres introduced the Power To The Players Act to guarantee consumer game ownership and require offline modes before server closures.

Rep. Ritchie Torres introduced the Power To The Players Act in Congress.
The bill directs the Federal Trade Commission to establish regulations guaranteeing consumers game ownership instead of licensing agreements.
Rep. Torres cited NBA 2K25, which is being delisted at the end of the month with servers shutting down on December 31st.
Sony recently announced plans to phase out physical game discs in 2028, drawing attention to ownership and resale concerns.
The bill requires developers to institute an offline mode before shutting down supporting servers.
The legislation is similar to Pennsylvania State Sen. John Kane's Protect Our Games Act, which proposes offline modes, independent online modes, or a minimum 25 percent refund when titles are sunset.