California moves to protect paid games from being shut down by publishers

California’s proposed Protect Our Games Act has cleared another major legislative hurdle, bringing the state closer to requiring publishers to keep paid online games playable even after official servers shut down. The bill would force companies to provide an offline patch, a standalone version, or refunds for games released after January 1, 2027, with free‑to‑play and subscription titles exempt. The push follows high‑profile shutdowns like Ubisoft’s The Crew, which sparked widespread frustration over digital ownership and the Stop Killing Games movement. Industry groups like the ESA oppose the bill, arguing that consumers license games rather than own them, but growing backlash shows players are tired of losing access to titles they paid for.

Read the full story on Digital Trends →