Lawmaker Proposes Bill To Let Gamers Own the Games They Buy
Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) is pushing for a change in how video games are sold and owned in the United States. On October 15, the Bronx congressman announced plans to introduce the Power To The Players Act, a federal bill aimed at preventing publishers from taking away access to games consumers have already purchased.
The proposed legislation would direct the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to establish rules recognizing video game purchases as ownership rather than temporary licenses. It would also require games with online features to offer an offline mode before their servers are permanently shut down. According to Torres's office, the bill would protect consumers' ability to resell or transfer their games.
"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," Torres said in his announcement. He described the proposal as a "restoration to the historical norm," referring to a time when buying a cartridge or disc generally meant being able to keep playing it without depending on a publisher's servers.
Torres pointed to NBA 2K25 as an example of why he believes stronger consumer protections are needed. Released on September 6, 2024, the basketball game launched at $69.99 for its standard edition and $99.99 for the All-Star Edition. Yet just over two years later, 2K plans to remove it from digital storefronts on October 30 and shut down its online servers on December 31.
That shutdown will make MyCareer and MyTeam unplayable, as both modes depend on online services and the game's Virtual Currency system. Players who already own NBA 2K25 will still be able to access offline modes, including Play Now, MyNBA, The W, and MyWNBA. This isn't a new practice for the publisher, which followed a similar retirement schedule for NBA 2K22, 2K23, and 2K24, shutting down their servers roughly two years after release.
State Sen. John Kane of Pennsylvania has circulated a proposal for a Protect Our Games Act that would require publishers to preserve access through an offline mode, provide an online option independent of their servers, or refund consumers at least 25% of the game's original purchase price.
Until then, keeping your games playable also depends on your own connection, since online modes and digital-only downloads need reliable internet.
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