One of the biggest successes of the Stop Killing Games movement has just taken an important step towards becoming actual law.
The California State Assembly has passed a bill called the Protect Our Games Act, which could significantly change the way publishers shut down online support for today's games. The proposal passed with 43 votes in favor and 16 against, with the majority of Democratic representatives supporting the law, while most Republicans voted against it.
If the law passes the remaining stages of the legislative process, publishers will no longer be able to simply shut down servers and leave players with a product that no longer works.
According to the proposal, all games released after January 1, 2027, will have to give players at least 60 days' notice before shutting down critical online infrastructure. Additionally, publishers will have to provide a version of the game that remains functional without their support or offer a full refund to all customers. In other words, the idea is simple: if you bought something, you shouldn't lose access to the product just because the publisher decided to shut down the servers. The law also prohibits the sale of games that are no longer functional after shutdown without a clear alternative for users.
Of course, there are exceptions.
The proposal does not apply to free-to-play games, subscription-based titles, games released before 2027, or projects that already have a permanently available offline version.
Still, one important question remains open: what exactly is considered the "core functionality" of a game?
According to the text of the law, players must be able to use the "key features" that were promised to them at the time of purchase. The problem is that many modern games contain campaigns, multiplayer modes, cooperative content, and other systems, so it is not always straightforward to determine which elements are truly key and which are not. This aspect could become one of the main topics of discussion as the law progresses through the institutions. For the Stop Killing Games movement, which has been warning about the growing problem of game shutdowns after they have already been sold to millions of customers, this represents perhaps the biggest victory so far. The movement has long argued that players do not actually own the products they purchase and that publishers too often cut off access to games without a long-term plan for their preservation.
The Protect Our Games Act now moves to the California Senate. If it gains support there, the final step will be the signature of the Governor of California.
If that happens, the gaming industry could face one of the biggest regulatory changes in the digital age - a change that could redefine what it actually means to "own" a video game.
