Your digital game library is yours, until it's not

Digital game libraries are not truly owned, but rather licensed, until the license is revoked. This was recently demonstrated by 2K's decision to shut down servers for NBA 2K25, leaving players without access to the game's single-player story mode, MyCareer. The game was removed from digital storefronts in October 2026 and its online servers were shut down by December 31, 2026.

While players can still play offline modes, they will lose access to MyCareer after the servers are shut down. This is a common practice among digital storefronts, which sell games as revocable licenses that can be removed at any time. Even physical copies of games can lose their online functionality if they rely on a publisher's servers.

Some publishers, like GOG, allow legitimate offline use of purchased games, but this is not the norm. California's recent AB 2426 law requires digital storefronts to make clear that they are selling licenses, not ownership, but this does not prevent publishers from revoking access to games. Some lawmakers in the U.S. and Europe are pushing for stronger protections for game ownership, but progress remains limited.