California bill advances requiring patches or refunds for shutdown games
Original: California bill would require patches or refunds when online games shut down
Why This Matters
First major US legislation addressing game preservation and consumer rights in digital gaming
California's Protect Our Games Act passed assembly committee 11-2, requiring publishers to provide refunds or independent play patches when shutting down online games. Bill applies to games sold after January 1, 2027, with 60-day notice requirement.
The California Assembly appropriations committee advanced the Protect Our Games Act, introduced by Assemblyman Chris Ward. The bill requires digital game publishers to either provide full refunds or updated versions enabling independent play when cutting online game support. Publishers must give 60 days notice before service cessation. The legislation excludes free games and subscription-only titles, applying to games sold after January 1, 2027. Stop Killing Games, formed after Ubisoft's The Crew shutdown in 2024, helped draft the bill and celebrated the advancement. The Entertainment Software Association opposed, arguing consumers receive licenses not ownership, and shutdowns are natural features of modern software requiring online infrastructure.