U.S. Representative Ritchie Torres plans to introduce federal legislation to protect consumers' rights to use digital games after purchase. Under his proposal, games with online features must retain a functional offline mode even after their servers are eventually shut down. The bill has not yet formally entered the congressional process.
The proposed bill is called the "Power To The Players Act." Torres argues that after consumers pay for a game, they should be able to own, play, and transfer it. He wants the U.S. Federal Trade Commission to establish rules requiring digital game sales companies to grant players more substantial rights than licenses that could expire at any time.
The shutdown schedule for NBA 2K25 is cited to illustrate this issue: the game is set to be removed from digital stores on October 30, with online servers scheduled to shut down on January 1, 2027, at which point some popular modes will no longer be playable. Torres believes that since players have invested money and time into the game, server shutdowns should not strip purchased content of its basic usability. The advocacy group Stop Killing Games has previously raised similar demands.
Torres has not yet confirmed whether there are any co-sponsors or bipartisan support. The final text of the bill, its legislative outcome, and enforcement mechanisms remain undetermined.