US lawmaker calls videogame purchases rentals disguised as sales: 'When you pay for a game, you should own it'

New York Democrat Rep. Ritchie Torres plans to propose the Power To The Players Act, which would compel the Federal Trade Commission to establish regulations safeguarding the right to own and play games purchased by consumers, according to his office. Torres asserts that when you pay for a game, you should own it. This bill would grant consumers the rights to own, utilize, and transfer games they purchase.

As physical disc production winds down and online games face the risk of being discontinued prematurely, the issue of game ownership has garnered renewed attention. Sony recently announced it will cease manufacturing physical discs by 2028. Stop Killing Games, a campaign highlighting the problem, has gained traction, citing instances like Ubisoft's The Crew, which ceased functioning in 2024, leaving owners unable to play even the single-player campaign.

Torres' objective is to institute and enforce a true ownership status for purchased games and compel the provision of offline modes before online games are retired. In cases of DRM-free games, such as those acquired from GOG, ownership is not a concern, as players can back up and use the game files indefinitely. However, if enacted, the FTC is unlikely to mandate the elimination of software copy protection. The bill would likely result in a more lenient definition of ownership, should it pass.