California aims to prevent publishers from shutting down online games, and it has recently made some advancements in this effort.

      The state's recently introduced Protect Our Games Act has successfully passed another significant step.

      Modern gaming has, in a way, normalized the notion that publishers can permanently close down games that players have already purchased. Fortunately, California is attempting to counter this trend with its proposed "Protect Our Games Act," which has now successfully navigated another critical legislative obstacle, bolstered by strong support from the Stop Killing Games movement.

      California's upcoming bill could compel publishers to maintain the availability of online games.

      If enacted as it stands, the legislation would mandate publishers to either keep games playable once official support concludes, provide an offline patch, release a standalone playable version, or offer refunds to players. The bill is expected to apply to paid games released after January 1, 2027, with free-to-play and subscription-only games remaining exempt.

      The Crew / Ubisoft

      The movement gained significant momentum after Ubisoft shut down The Crew in 2024, which rendered the game inaccessible even to players who had already bought it. This incident became a rallying point for preservation advocates, who argue that modern online games are increasingly being treated as temporary rentals rather than products owned by consumers.

      “The bill is based on a false premise: that consumers ‘own’ digital games with permanent access. That is not how software works; games are licensed, not sold as unrestricted property.” – ESA

      Publishers and industry organizations are clearly not pleased, with the ESA contending that requiring indefinite support could become technically and financially impractical for developers. Notably, preservation groups had previously accused the ESA of opposing expanded DMCA exemptions for the preservation of older video games in 2024.

      Gamers are finally starting to reconsider what “buying” a game truly means.

      The significance of this bill lies in its direct connection to the growing discontent around digital ownership. In recent years, gamers have gradually recognized that many “purchased” online games can effectively disappear overnight if servers go down. Ironically, California previously pushed the industry for greater transparency by mandating digital storefronts to clarify that users are often purchasing licenses rather than permanent ownership. Steam even added warnings to inform users of this before purchases.

      Stop Killing Games

      At this stage, the entire discussion feels larger than just the preservation of old multiplayer games. It has transformed into a debate about whether players truly own anything in the digital age or if publishers can arbitrarily decide when products cease to exist. Given the strong support behind Stop Killing Games, it's evident that many players are weary of feeling like they are making long-term rentals while pretending to be customers.