NY announces game ownership bill requiring ownership rather than licensing
Points and comments are a snapshot, not live.
A NY congressman pre-files a bill requiring game publishers to sell ownership, not licenses.
Rep. Ritchie Torres (NY) announced he will introduce a federal bill requiring video game companies to sell consumers ownership of games rather than licenses. The legislation would also mandate publishers keep games functional after support ends, effectively ensuring titles remain playable after server shutdowns.
What commenters are saying
Commenters largely supports the bill's intent but sees enforcement challenges. A top comment argues offline/p2p modes require only 1-2 developers a week of AI work, costing little. Two camps emerge: those citing decades of offline-capable games proving feasibility, those citing modern server-stack licensing complexities. Strong consensus: publishers only need to "stay out of our way," not release anything, as communities will keep games alive themselves.