Congress Introduces Bill to Ensure Video Game Ownership

Rep. Ritchie Torres of New York’s 15th district has introduced the Power To The Players Act, urging the Federal Trade Commission to create rules that guarantee consumers true ownership of video games when they pay, rather than merely licensing them. The legislation responds to a growing trend where games require an active server connection; when a publisher shuts down those servers, the game can become unplayable. Torres cited NBA 2K25 as a recent example, noting that 2K will delist the title from storefronts at the end of the month and shut down its servers, leaving owners unable to play. The bill seeks to protect players from losing access to games they have purchased.