Ritchie Torres Proposes Bill for Video Game Ownership Rights

• •The Power to Players Act aims to secure ownership rights for video game buyers.
• •NBA 2K25 will become unplayable due to server shutdowns on January 1, 2027.
• •The bill faces legal and procedural hurdles before it can be enacted.

US Representative Ritchie Torres has proposed the Power to Players Act, aiming to ensure that purchasing a video game grants consumers ownership rather than just a license. The bill is a response to the upcoming server shutdowns for NBA 2K25, which will become unplayable on January 1, 2027. Torres argues that consumers should have the right to own, play, and transfer their games, framing the current situation as a 'rental disguised as a sale.' The bill would direct the FTC to create regulations that protect these ownership rights and require offline modes for games with online components. The proposal is part of a broader movement against the decline of physical media and the increasing prevalence of digital downloads, which accounted for 82% of PlayStation game sales in the last fiscal year. However, the bill has not yet been introduced in Congress and faces potential legal hurdles following a Supreme Court decision that limits the FTC's regulatory power.