US bill would require video game purchases to mean ownership, not just a license to play

Rep. Ritchie Torres proposed the Power to Players Act, which would direct the FTC to prevent consumers from losing access to games they bought because publishers treat purchases as licenses. The announcement cites NBA 2K25, said to have launched on September 6, 2025 and become unplayable on December 31 due to server shutdowns, as the kind of outcome the bill targets.

If enacted, the bill could push game publishers to design purchases with longer-term access in mind, especially for titles dependent on online servers. The trade-off is that preserving access may require offline modes, server commitments, or clearer purchase terms, but the article does not specify the bill’s enforcement details or how it would handle multiplayer-only games.