California's Protect Our Games Act cleared its first major hurdle. The state assembly passed the bill by a vote of 43-16. If enacted, it would require paid games to remain playable after online servers shut down.
Bill targets digital game preservation
The bill targets digital game preservation. It applies to games released after January 1, 2027. The legislation aims to prevent paid titles from becoming unplayable when server support ends.
Next, the bill heads to the California State Senate. If it passes there, it goes to the governor for approval. The legislative process may extend over several months.
The Protect Our Games Act could set a precedent for free-to-play and microtransaction regulation. Lawmakers may later extend the requirements to include other monetization models. For now, the focus is on paid games.
As spotted by VGC, the bill passed the California State Assembly by a vote of 43-16. The source confirmed the vote count. No further details on opposition or amendments were provided.
The bill's passage marks a concrete step toward game preservation. If signed into law, it would force publishers to ensure paid games remain functional offline. Gamers would no longer lose access to titles they bought.
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