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Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.-15) said on October 15, 2026, that he plans to introduce the Power To The Players Act, a proposal aimed at treating a purchased video game as consumer-owned rather than as a revocable license. No bill text has been formally introduced, so its final language, cosponsors, exemptions, enforcement provisions and committee route are not yet known.
What Torres says the proposal would require
The announced outline would direct the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to write regulations covering three consumer rights:
- Ownership: a person who pays for a game would be treated as owning it, rather than merely receiving conditional permission to access it.
- Continued play: access could not simply disappear because a publisher delists the title or ends support.
- Transfer: the proposal would recognize a right to transfer a purchased game, although the announcement does not define how transfers, resale, accounts or platform restrictions would work.
For games that include online functionality, the outline would also require an offline mode before supporting servers are shut down. That requirement is announced policy, not an enforceable rule yet: Torres has not released statutory text, and the FTC has not issued regulations under the proposal.
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Why digital game ownership is the target
Digital storefronts, account-based libraries and games designed around publisher servers have changed what a purchase provides. A download may remain listed in an account while essential features depend on authentication, matchmaking, cloud services or other systems controlled by the publisher. Delisting can stop new purchases, while a shutdown can leave an already purchased game with reduced or no functionality.
Torres called a game that can be taken away when a company “pulls the plug” a rental disguised as a sale. He described the proposal as a restoration of the historical norm of buying and playing games and linked ownership to affordability as prices rise.
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NBA 2K25 illustrates the concern
The announcement uses NBA 2K25 as an example. The standard edition was listed at $69.99 and the All-Star Edition at $99.99, according to the Office of Rep. Ritchie Torres in 2026. The game was scheduled to be removed from digital storefronts on October 30, 2026. Its online servers were scheduled to shut down at the end of 2026, described in the reporting as January 1, 2027.
Kotaku, citing Circana data, reported that NBA 2K25 was the fifth best-selling game in the United States in 2024. That ranking shows the scale of a prominent release, but it does not establish how many players would lose access to particular features or how much money consumers have spent nationwide.
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What the proposal could change for players
| Issue | Typical digital-purchase risk today | Power To The Players Act outline |
|---|---|---|
| Revocability | Access can be subject to account terms, delisting or service decisions. | Would treat the purchased game as owned rather than a revocable license. |
| Server dependence | Online-dependent features may stop working after a shutdown. | Would require an offline mode before supporting servers are closed. |
| Offline play | Availability varies by title and may not cover core features. | Offline functionality is one of the announced requirements for games with online functionality. |
| Transfer or resale | Digital accounts and platform terms can limit transfer. | Torres names a right to transfer, but no operating standard has been published. |
| Future hardware compatibility | A purchase may still depend on a platform, operating system or hardware. | The announcement does not guarantee compatibility with future hardware. |
Because no final bill exists, the outline does not answer practical questions such as whether publishers could issue patches, how account transfers would be authenticated, whether downloadable content would be covered, or what penalties would apply.
What happens when servers shut down under current conditions?
There is no single outcome. A game may retain a complete single-player mode, lose only multiplayer and live-service features, require a community-hosted replacement, or become unusable if it depends on online authentication. The result is determined by the game’s design, platform and publisher support terms. The proposed offline requirement is intended to prevent the most severe outcome, but it would apply only if enacted and implemented.
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Could the bill become law?
It could fail before reaching a vote, and its proposed reliance on FTC rulemaking may face litigation over the agency’s authority. Contemporary reporting has connected that uncertainty to the Supreme Court’s 2024 rejection of Chevron deference, which limits courts’ obligation to defer to an agency’s interpretation of an ambiguous statute. Engadget also sought a draft and comment from Torres; until formal text is released, the legal analysis remains provisional.
The proposal is tied to concerns raised by the Stop Killing Games campaign about preserving playability when online support ends. Torres told Kotaku that the idea could eventually serve as a model for books, movies or music, but the announced proposal covers video games only. Those other media are not included in the stated requirements.
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What players can do now
- Check the game’s offline behavior. Look for publisher documentation describing whether single-player content works without sign-in or servers.
- Record platform and edition details. Compatibility, downloadable content and server requirements can differ between console, PC and editions.
- Consider physical media where available. A disc or cartridge can reduce dependence on storefront delisting, but it does not automatically remove online requirements or guarantee future hardware compatibility.
- Track official announcements. The proposal’s effect, if any, will depend on introduced text, congressional action and later FTC rules.
Is NBA 2K25 being removed from stores?
According to the Torres announcement and related reporting, digital storefront delisting was scheduled for October 30, 2026. That date concerns new digital sales; it does not by itself specify what every existing owner can download or play afterward. Online-server shutdown was scheduled for the end of 2026, described as January 1, 2027, so players should check the publisher and platform notices for their edition and system.
The Bottom Line
The Power To The Players Act is an announced plan, not a law. Its proposed ownership, transfer, continued-play and offline-mode protections could materially change digital game purchases, but players will not have those rights under this proposal unless Torres introduces text, Congress passes it and the resulting rules survive implementation and legal challenges.
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