If You Pay, You Own the Game

A proposed federal law would require companies that sell digital video games to grant lasting ownership rights (not ephemeral licenses) and to provide offline modes for features that currently require always‑on servers. The policy response is driven by recent high‑profile delistings and server shutdowns (e.g., NBA 2K25) and by the shift to physical boxes that only include single-use download codes (e.g., Grand Theft Auto 6). — If enacted, this would force fundamental changes in digital‑goods contracts, potentially upending platform business models, affecting secondary markets, and setting precedents for other digital media.