Rep. Ritchie Torres Unveils Bill To Protect Video Game Ownership: ‘If You Pay For It, You Own It’

A New York congressman wants to make sure the video games you buy stay yours.

Democratic Rep. Ritchie Torres announced plans this week to introduce the Power To The Players Act, legislation that would protect consumers’ ownership rights over the games they purchase, including digital titles.

“I think there should be a simple rule: if you pay for it, you own it,” Torres told Kotaku in an interview published on Thursday, Oct. 15.

What The Bill Would Do

The legislation would direct the Federal Trade Commission to create regulations that protect video game ownership rights. Under the proposal, companies selling digital games would need to give players more than a license that can be revoked at any time. Games with online features would also be required to include offline modes that keep working after a publisher shuts down its servers.

In a press release, Torres said consumers must have the right to own, play and transfer the games they buy, arguing that a game that can disappear when a company pulls the plug is “a rental disguised as a sale.” He said families in the Bronx and across the country save up for these purchases and deserve to keep playing them long after a company moves on.

Torres, 38, described the bill not as a radical change but as a return to how game ownership worked through the ’80s, ’90s and 2000s. He also framed it as an affordability issue as prices rise across the economy.

NBA 2K25 & The Push For Ownership

The announcement comes as 2K Games prepares to delist NBA 2K25, the fifth best-selling game of 2024 in the U.S., from digital storefronts on Oct. 30. Its online servers will shut down by Jan. 1, 2027, leaving the game’s most popular modes unplayable just over two years after millions of players paid $70 for it.

Players have been pushing for change for more than a year. The Stop Killing Games advocacy movement has called on companies to stop selling games that become unplayable once online support ends, and the cause gained momentum this summer when Sony said it would end production of PlayStation discs for its next console generation.

That all-digital future is arriving soon. Grand Theft Auto 6, launching next month, will be sold in stores as a download code in a box, with prices starting at $80. Nintendo, by contrast, has said it has no plans to abandon physical games for the Switch 2. Torres himself grew up playing franchises like Grand Theft Auto, Resident Evil and SOCOM.

A Long Road Ahead

The bill still needs to be formally introduced, after which it would face the lengthy committee process. Torres did not say whether the bill will have cosponsors or Republican support, and major publishers are expected to lobby hard against new restrictions. An estimated 87% of legislation never even reaches a full vote.

The proposal also leaves out other digital media, such as movies and music, despite recent cases of purchased films vanishing from users’ libraries. Torres said gaming is unique because of how much time and money players invest, but expressed hope that the bill could set a precedent for the broader digital economy.

Torres has represented New York’s 15th Congressional District in the Bronx since 2021.