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Rep. Ritchie Torres plans to introduce the Power To The Players Act, a bill that would direct the FTC to set rules protecting consumers’ rights to keep and play video games they buy. The proposal would address expiring digital licenses and require games with online features to retain playable offline modes after server shutdowns. It has not yet been formally introduced, and its support in Congress is unknown.
Rep. Ritchie Torres, a New York Democrat, says he plans to introduce the Power To The Players Act, legislation that would direct the Federal Trade Commission to establish rules protecting people who buy video games. The proposal would address digital licenses that can expire and require games with online features to offer offline modes that continue working after their servers shut down.
Torres described the proposal in a phone interview with Kotaku and in a press release. Under its broad outline, companies selling digital games would have to give customers more than a license that can be withdrawn or expire. Games that rely on online services would also need a way to play offline after those services end. The bill would task the FTC with writing regulations; detailed requirements and enforcement mechanisms have not been supplied in the source report.
The announcement comes as publisher 2K plans to delist NBA 2K25 from digital storefronts on October 30 and shut down its online servers on January 1, 2027, according to Kotaku’s report. The game’s most popular modes will no longer be available when the servers close. Torres told the outlet he did not buy NBA 2K25, so the game’s shutdown is an example of the wider issue, not a personal loss he reported experiencing.
The proposal has not yet been formally introduced in Congress. Torres did not say whether it would have cosponsors or support from Republicans, Kotaku reported. That means the announcement establishes his intention and the bill’s broad aims, but not a final legislative text, a timetable for committee action or a path to passage.
How the Bill Could Change Game Purchases
If enacted, the proposal could change what consumers receive when they pay for a digital game: not just temporary access under a revocable license, but stronger rights to retain and play it. An offline-play requirement could also reduce the risk that a game’s core experience disappears when a publisher closes its servers, although the bill’s exact definition of a usable offline mode is not yet available.
The issue affects both consumer spending and access to games over time. Players may pay full retail prices for games whose features depend on publisher-controlled services. Torres framed the proposal as an affordability measure, arguing that families should not lose access to a purchase when a company moves on. The practical effect would depend on the legislation’s final language, the FTC’s rules and how those rules treat games designed around online play.
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From Server Closures to Federal Rules
Concern about the long-term availability of games has been amplified by the Stop Killing Games advocacy campaign, which argues that publishers should not sell games that become unplayable when online support ends. The debate is also unfolding amid a wider shift toward digital distribution. Kotaku reported that players have raised concerns about fewer physical-media options, which can leave buyers more dependent on storefronts, licenses and publisher-operated servers.
Torres said the proposal is meant as a restoration of earlier expectations around buying and playing games, rather than a radical change. He cited his own gaming history with franchises including Grand Theft Auto, Resident Evil and SOCOM. The bill is focused on video games; it does not cover movies or music, though Torres told Kotaku that a successful approach might later serve as a model for other digital media.
“I think there should be a simple rule: if you pay for it, you own it.”
— Rep. Ritchie Torres, speaking to Kotaku
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Key Terms and Support Remain Open
The bill’s full text is not yet public in the source report, and Torres has not formally introduced it. Details that could shape its impact remain unsettled, including what counts as sufficient offline functionality, how long a game must remain playable and how the rules would apply to titles whose main features require online services.
It is also unclear which lawmakers will support the measure or how publishers will respond. Kotaku noted that the video game industry may lobby against restrictions on how games are sold or operated; that is a reported possibility, not a confirmed lobbying effort against this particular bill. No legislative schedule or committee assignment has been announced.
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Formal Introduction Starts the Process
The next concrete step is for Torres to formally introduce the Power To The Players Act in Congress. After introduction, it would need to proceed through the congressional committee process before it could reach a full vote. The source report provides no date for introduction and no confirmation of cosponsors, so the proposal’s near-term prospects remain unknown.
If the bill advances, its text and any FTC rulemaking instructions will clarify which games and business practices it covers. Until then, the announcement signals Torres’s policy aim, but it does not change publishers’ current obligations or guarantee that buyers will retain access to games after online services end.
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Key Questions
What is the Power To The Players Act?
It is proposed legislation from Rep. Ritchie Torres that would direct the Federal Trade Commission to create rules protecting video game buyers. Its broad goals include stronger ownership rights for digital games and continued offline play after server shutdowns.
Has the bill been introduced or passed?
No. Torres has announced plans to introduce it, but the source report says it has not yet been formally introduced. It has not passed Congress.
What would happen to games with online features?
Under the proposal’s broad outline, they would need to provide offline modes that remain functional after online servers close. The specific standard and any exceptions are not yet clear.
Does the proposal cover movies and music?
No. The reported scope is limited to video games. Torres said a successful law might provide a model for other digital-media protections, but the proposal does not include them.
What happens next?
Torres must formally introduce the bill. It would then face the congressional committee process; its schedule, cosponsors and prospects for a vote have not been announced.
Source: fediverse
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