The California State Assembly has approved AB 1921, known as the Stop Killing Games' Protect Our Games Act

Image credit: Stop Killing Games

In a significant move to protect the integrity of video games, the California State Assembly has approved Assembly Bill 1921, also known as the Protect Our Games Act. This decision marks a pivotal step in advancing efforts toward video game preservation.

Stop Killing Games, a consumer advocacy group that gained recognition after Ubisoft's removal of The Crew from its platforms and user libraries, has highlighted the importance of this development. The group, which focuses on reducing the premature deprecation of digital games and media, labeled the act as a major advancement in safeguarding games.

The bill, endorsed by Assembly Member Chris Ward of San Diego, passed the floor vote with a 43-16 margin. It mandates that video game companies notify consumers prior to shutting down online games. Furthermore, it requires that a method be available for gamers to continue accessing their purchases, whether through offline play, community-run servers, or other feasible solutions.

With its passing in the State Assembly, the bill will now proceed to the California State Senate, where it will need public backing to progress further.

Previously, in Europe, Stop Killing Games achieved an impressive milestone, triggering a response from Video Games Europe, an advocate for a responsible gaming industry, after garnering over 12 million signatures. Similarly, in the UK, a comparable petition reached 10,000 signatures by February 2025, prompting a governmental reply.

Despite the UK Government acknowledging the "concerns raised by video games users" about digital product operability, and being conscious of the digital content lifespan issues, they indicated no current plans to revise consumer protection laws to address digital obsolescence. Nonetheless, they committed to ongoing oversight of the issue through the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).