New York congressman joins fight for video game ownership with ‘Power To The Players Act’

New York Congressman Ritchie Torres has introduced the Power To The Players Act, a bill aimed at changing how digital video games are owned. It matters because players can lose access when a publisher revokes a licence or shuts down the services a game relies on.

The bill would direct the Federal Trade Commission to make rules giving buyers ownership of games rather than a licence to play them, and require games with online features to offer an offline mode before their supporting servers close. The debate has gained attention as the industry moves away from physical discs, including Sony’s announcement that it will end physical PlayStation discs from 2028. Torres is running for re-election; the article notes the proposal’s progress remains to be seen.