Ritchie Torres proposes Power To The Players Act for video game ownership

U.S. Representative Ritchie Torres has announced plans to introduce the ‘Power To The Players Act,’ a legislative initiative aimed at protecting digital video game ownership. The proposal seeks to shift the current model from revocable licenses to true consumer ownership, allowing players to keep, use, and potentially resell the games they purchase.

A key component of the act would require developers to provide an offline mode for games with online features before their servers are shut down. This addresses growing concerns regarding digital obsolescence, exemplified by Ubisoft’s ‘The Crew,’ which became unplayable in 2024 after its servers closed. Torres cited ‘NBA 2K25’ as a relevant example, noting that while offline modes remain, the shutdown of online services will remove significant features like multiplayer and virtual currency access.

The proposed legislation would task the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) with establishing rules to enforce these protections. The initiative arrives amid a broader industry shift away from physical media, such as Sony’s plan to end disc production for PlayStation by 2028. While the announcement outlines the policy direction, the formal legislative text has not yet been officially introduced in Congress.