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California’s Assembly passed AB 1921, the ‘Protect Our Games Act,’ requiring publishers to preserve digitally sold games or issue refunds when online services end. Effective for games sold or resold after Jan. 1, 2027, the law mandates 60 days’ notice before shutdowns and forces companies to provide an alternative version or patch enabling continued play; refunds apply when preservation isn’t feasible. The measure excludes subscriptions, free-to-play, and inherently offline titles. Spurred by the ‘Stop Killing Games’ campaign and recent high-profile shutdowns, the bill pits preservation advocates and the Video Game History Foundation against industry groups like the ESA over IP, security, and operational concerns as it heads to the Senate and governor.
This affects how publishers design, distribute, and sunset online games and services, with implications for development, legal, and operations teams. Tech professionals must plan for preservation, notice, and refund obligations when engineering game shutdowns or updates.
Dossier last updated: 2026-06-02 01:19:47
California’s State Assembly passed the Protect Our Games Act 43–16, a bill intended to require publishers to ensure paid games remain playable even after official servers shut down. If the state senate and governor sign it, the law would force developers and platforms operating in California to provide offline modes, private server support, or fallback “minimum playable” options so purchased titles don’t become unusable. The push follows backlash over Ubisoft shutting the original The Crew’s servers and a wider Stop Killing Games movement demanding vendor responsibility for game preservation. Though a state law, it could have global impact because many major publishers and platforms are based in California.
California’s State Assembly has approved a game preservation bill backed by the Stop Killing Games movement, advancing the measure to the State Senate. The bill targets legal and policy barriers that prevent archiving and re-releasing older video games, addressing takedown threats, licensing hurdles, and loss of access as platforms and publishers abandon legacy titles. Supporters including preservationists, archivists and gaming communities argue the law would protect cultural and historical software assets and enable libraries, museums, and nonprofits to maintain playable copies. Critics warn about intellectual property and revenue impacts for rights holders. Passage in the Senate would mark a major step toward institutionalizing digital game preservation in state law.
California's State Assembly passed AB 1921, the 'Protect Our Games Act,' 43-16, advancing a bill that would require digital game publishers to keep games accessible after online services end or provide refunds. Effective for games sold or resold after Jan. 1, 2027, the law would mandate at least 60 days' notice before service termination and require publishers to supply an alternative version or patch enabling continued play; refunds are required when preservation isn't feasible. The bill excludes subscription and free-to-play titles and games inherently playable offline. The move, driven by the 'Stop Killing Games' preservation campaign sparked by high-profile shutdowns, pits preservation advocates and the Video Game History Foundation against industry groups like the ESA over IP and security concerns. The bill still needs Senate approval and the governor's signature.
The California State Assembly passed AB 1921, the 'Protect Our Games Act,' on May 27, 2026 by a 43–16 vote, requiring publishers to keep digitally sold games accessible after service shutdowns or provide refunds. Starting for games released or resold after Jan 1, 2027, companies must give at least 60 days' notice before terminating online services and either supply an alternative/patch to allow continued play or compensate buyers. The law excludes subscription, free-to-play, and permanently offline titles. The bill responds to the 'Stop Killing Games' movement sparked by shutdowns like Ubisoft's The Crew and pits preservation advocates and groups such as the Video Game History Foundation against industry bodies like the ESA over IP, security, and preservation concerns. The measure still needs Senate and governor approval but could reshape U.S. game service policies.