New York Rep. Ritchie Torres of the 15th congressional district has introduced the Power To The Players Act, legislation aimed at protecting consumers from what critics view as anti-consumer gaming industry practices. According to the bill’s framework, purchasing a video game would grant consumers ownership of the game rather than a revocable license to play it.
The bill would direct the Federal Trade Commission to establish regulations governing game ownership. A key provision requires that games with online functionality must provide an offline mode before their supporting servers are shut down. This addresses a growing consumer frustration: games becoming unplayable when publishers discontinue server support, even for recently purchased titles.
Prominent examples illustrate the problem. In 2024, Ubisoft shut down servers for The Crew, an online-only racing game, rendering it unplayable for purchasers. The game had no offline mode or community server option, since even single-player content required connection to Ubisoft’s servers. Similarly, NBA 2K25 is being removed from digital storefronts with online servers shutting down only two years after release. Rep. Torres specifically cited NBA 2K25 in announcing the bill. Overwatch 2’s launch also eliminated the original Overwatch, preventing players from accessing a game they had purchased.
These situations have fueled the Stop Killing Games movement, which demands publishers maintain game functionality after discontinuation through offline modes, peer-to-peer patching, and community server hosting. The movement also opposes the industry standard of selling games as revocable licenses rather than actual ownership.
Sony has defended the licensing model in an ongoing class action lawsuit, with company lawyers arguing that clicking a “purchase” button would not reasonably lead consumers to believe they were acquiring a durable right to the game—only a revocable license comparable to a one-time rental fee.
New York is not alone in pursuing this approach. Pennsylvania state senator John Kane recently introduced the Protect Our Games Act, requiring publishers to provide offline modes, community servers, or a minimum 25% refund when discontinuing game support.
The Power To The Players Act’s concrete definitions and enforcement mechanisms remain to be detailed, but the bill aims to establish actual consumer ownership and mandatory offline functionality. Industry observers note the bill’s success will depend on how strictly it defines ownership rights and what protections it grants consumers over their digital copies.
Key facts
- Rep. Ritchie Torres introduced the Power To The Players Act, which would require game purchases to grant ownership rather than licenses
- The bill mandates games with online functionality provide offline modes before server shutdowns
- Ubisoft’s shutdown of The Crew and NBA 2K25’s removal from storefronts exemplified the ownership issue
- Pennsylvania introduced similar legislation called the Protect Our Games Act
- Sony has argued in court that purchasing a game does not grant durable ownership rights