While the Stop Killing Games Initiative continues to make strides towards its ultimate preservation goals in Europe, the Protect Our Games Act in the United States has just passed its first major milestone on its way to potentially dramatically changing the video game industry. The proposed bill has just won its vote to go beyond California's State Assembly, and now moves on to the State Senate, on its path to being written into law.
As spotted by VGC, the bill passed the California State Assembly by a vote of 43-16. If it makes it passed the State Senate, a final version of the bill will then be drafted for the President's approval. Once it reaches the President's office, the bill will either be vetoed or approved within 10 days.
If it gets all the way there and is approved by the President, while it'll technically only be a state law in California, that won't stop it from impacting the global video game industry. The proposed bill would require publishers to ensure that paid games will remain playable for those who purchased the game even after their online servers are shuttered.
Concord is, of course, the highest-profile version of a case where a paid game was taken offline after launch. Yes, refunds were issued to players, but there's currently nothing stopping publishers from simply not issuing refunds if they wish. Sure, PlayStation would've pissed off a lot of people if they didn't give out refunds for Concord, but nothing could've stopped them from doing it.
With this bill, while you could still get a refund, you'd also potentially still be able to play the game you bought even after its online servers are shuttered. A game like Outriders, for example, a paid game that doesn't have an offline mode, is a better case of the kind of game this bill would be for. Something that wasn't shut down right away, that spent years on store shelves, and could be shuttered at a moment's notice since it is currently unplayable offline.
Another example would be Ubisoft's The Crew, the game that was the inspiration for the Stop Killing Games Initiative. That said, neither of those games will fall under this bill's criteria if it does pass, since the bill will only apply to games released after January 1, 2027. Still, it would absolutely change how publishers approach their online multiplayer-focused titles that aren't free-to-play.
That said, if this law does go into effect, it could set a precedent for a law focused on free-to-play titles and microtransactions to follow. Several free-to-play games that have been shuttered recently did not offer players refunds for the premium currency purchased, instead encouraging players to spend those premium coins as soon as possible before servers were shut down.
About the author: David has been writing about videogames, technology, and culture since 2020, with a focus on reporting daily news across multiple publications, including GameDaily.Biz, GameSkinny, and PlayStation Universe before joining Wccftech in 2025. David started contributing as Canada/US reporter for Wccftech's gaming section in 2025. Besides being up-to-date on the industry's movements, he loves interviewing developers, reviewing games, and writing intricate essays about the symbolism and layered meanings to be found in rich narratives as he's done for publications like GamesIndustry.Biz, LostInCult, and others. Outside of games he loves movies, music, theatre, his hometown, and his family, though not necessarily in that order.
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