Representative Ritchie Torres of New York has introduced the Power To The Players Act, which would direct the FTC to create rules ensuring buyers actually own games they pay for rather than merely licensing them. The bill also would require developers to add offline modes before shutting down servers that games depend on. Torres cited NBA 2K25, which 2K is delisting and cutting server support for by December 31st, as an example of the problem.
theverge.com
· 2026-10-18
Democratic Representative Ritchie Torres has introduced the Power to Players Act, a bill that would direct the FTC to ensure consumers who buy video games actually own them rather than receive a revocable license. The bill cites NBA 2K25, which launches September 6, 2025 but is set to become unplayable after server shutdowns on December 31, as an example of the problem it targets.
arstechnica.com
· 2026-10-16
New York Representative Ritchie Torres announced plans to introduce the Power To The Players Act, which would direct the Federal Trade Commission to require that video game purchases grant actual ownership rather than revocable licenses. The bill would also mandate that games with online features include an offline mode before their servers are shut down. Torres cited NBA 2K25, which will be delisted and have its servers closed just two years after release, as an example of the problem the legislation targets.
ritchietorres.house.gov
· 2026-10-16
A community-run project on the Consumer Rights Wiki has assembled at least 44 documented examples—out of hundreds noted overall—where Sony's own PlayStation Store pages and marketing materials describe digital PS4 and PS5 games as something customers 'own.' The compilation directly counters Sony's argument in an ongoing lawsuit that no reasonable consumer would believe clicking 'Purchase' grants true ownership rather than a revocable license.
tomshardware.com
· 2026-09-12
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