California Bill Could Save Your Online Games Forever

Gamers who've watched their favorite online games disappear forever might finally get some relief thanks to California lawmakers pushing for real change.

The Protect Our Games Act is making its way through the California State Assembly, passing three major committees in mid-May 2026. If it becomes law, game publishers would have to give players at least 60 days warning before shutting down servers and offer one of three options: a full refund, a software patch to keep the game working, or an offline version that doesn't need company servers.

Assemblymember Chris Ward introduced the bill in February 2026 with help from Stop Killing Games, a preservation group that's been fighting similar battles in Europe and the UK. The collaboration marks the first time consumer advocates and lawmakers have teamed up to tackle a problem that's frustrated gamers for years.

The push started after Ubisoft shut down The Crew, an open-world racing game, and actually deleted it from players' game libraries even though they'd paid full price. That moment sparked Stop Killing Games into action and showed just how little control players have over games they supposedly own.

The bill would only apply to games released after January 1, 2027, and wouldn't cover free games or subscription-only titles. That means it's designed to protect future purchases while being realistic about how some gaming business models work.

The Ripple Effect

California's massive gaming market means this law could reshape how publishers worldwide think about game support. If companies have to plan for end-of-life options before launching in California, they'll likely apply those same standards everywhere to keep things simple.

Stop Killing Games' Moritz Katzner said he didn't expect things to move this fast when he flew to the US before Christmas to help set up the American branch. The speed shows lawmakers understand this isn't just about gaming, it's about consumer rights in an increasingly digital world.

Even publishers are starting to adapt. Ubisoft added an offline mode to The Crew 2 in October 2025, proving that keeping games playable after server shutdowns is totally possible when companies want to do it.

The bill still has to pass the full Assembly and then the State Senate before becoming law, but three committee approvals show serious momentum. Gamers might soon have real ownership of the games they buy, not just temporary access that can vanish overnight.