California’s ‘Protect Our Games Act’ Aims to End the Era of Digital Planned Obsolescence

The Fight for Digital Sovereignty

In an era where ‘ownership’ of digital media is increasingly becoming a temporary privilege, California lawmakers are taking a decisive stand. The proposed Protect Our Games Act is currently moving toward a floor vote in the California State Assembly, marking a monumental shift in the relationship between major game publishers and their consumer base.

The End of ‘Server-Side’ Expiration Dates

Modern gaming is plagued by the fragility of live-service models. When a publisher decides that maintaining server infrastructure is no longer profitable, the game effectively vanishes—a phenomenon recently highlighted by the controversial delisting and disabling of Ubisoft’s The Crew. This act of digital erasure sparked a massive backlash, giving rise to the advocacy group Stop Killing Games, which has been instrumental in advising on this new legislation.

If enacted, the bill would impose strict mandates on digital game operators for any titles released on or after January 1, 2027:

• Mandatory Disclosure: Operators must provide at least 60 days’ notice before ceasing the services necessary for a game’s functionality.
• Consumer Redress: Upon server shutdown, publishers would be required to offer either a full refund, an offline-play patch, or an independent version of the game that does not rely on corporate-controlled servers.
• Scope of Protection: While the law targets purchased titles, it notably excludes free-to-play games and subscription-based services, focusing specifically on protecting the initial purchase investment.

Setting a New Industry Precedent

The progression of this bill through the Assembly’s various committees—including the Judiciary and Appropriations committees—signals that the legislature is taking the issue of digital rights seriously. Should this become law, it would fundamentally alter the development lifecycle of premium games. Publishers would be forced to design games with long-term accessibility in mind, rather than treating them as disposable products tethered to transient server infrastructure.

Interestingly, the industry is already feeling the pressure. Ubisoft, likely anticipating the changing legal landscape, introduced an offline mode for The Crew 2 late in 2025. This suggests that the threat of regulation is already nudging developers toward more sustainable practices. By ensuring that players retain access to their purchases, California is setting a precedent that could ripple through the global gaming market, forcing a move away from the ‘service-only’ model toward one that respects the permanence of the consumer purchase.

While there is still a long road through the State Senate, the momentum behind the Protect Our Games Act is a clear message to publishers: the era of killing games without consequence is nearing its end.