Overview
- The California State Assembly approved AB 1921 by a 43–16 vote on Wednesday, May 27, moving the Protect Our Games Act to the State Senate.
- The bill would require publishers to give 60 days' notice before ending services and to offer an offline version, a patch that lets the game run without company servers, or a full refund to purchasers.
- AB 1921 excludes completely free games and titles sold only as part of a subscription and would apply to games sold in California on or after January 1, 2027 if it becomes law.
- The Entertainment Software Association and publishers oppose the law, arguing games are licensed rather than owned and saying mandated patches or code releases raise security and intellectual property concerns.
- Supporters led by the Stop Killing Games movement say the bill responds to high‑profile shutdowns like Ubisoft’s The Crew and would protect players and preserve games as cultural works while potentially changing industry practices.