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US Rep proposes bill to give video game buyers "ownership," not "a license"
Ars Technica • • technology
Key Points:
- Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) has introduced the Power to Players Act, a bill aiming to guarantee that buying a video game grants consumers true ownership rather than just a license, ensuring continued access even after server shutdowns.
- The bill highlights NBA 2K25 as an example, which became unplayable shortly after release due to server closures, prompting the FTC to be directed to prevent similar situations in the future.
- The legislation addresses growing concerns over digital game ownership and preservation, especially as physical game sales decline and many games require online servers to function despite being sold on physical discs.
- The bill mandates that online-only games offer offline modes to maintain playability after servers shut down, which could necessitate significant changes in game development approaches.
- While the bill faces a challenging legislative path and its full text is not yet public, it reflects a broader movement for consumer rights in gaming, amid technological shifts like AI-driven game decompilation impacting software preservation.
