California's "Protect Our Games Act," designed to prevent publishers from delisting games and making them unplayable, failed to pass a key State Senate committee. The bill could be reconsidered, but its current progression is halted.
A movement called Stop Killing Games is lobbying for legal protections to prevent publishers from shutting down online video games. The group advocates for "end-of-life plans" to keep games playable, proposing that companies allow players to operate private servers. While the European Commission cannot mandate this due to copyright laws, it will work on a code of conduct. In the US, California's "Protect Our Games" act, which requires advance notice before takedown and access for purchased games, has passed the Assembly.
The Stop Killing Games campaign, with 1.3 million signatures, challenges the practice of shutting down online game servers, rendering games unplayable. The EU is set to respond to the petition by July 27.
A California bill, the "Protect Our Games Act," is advancing to a floor vote. It would require publishers to give 60 days' notice before shutting down servers for paid games, offering refunds or playable offline versions. The law applies to games released after January 1, 2027.
