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Legislation out of California could be good news for gamers who saw publishers drop support for their favorite titles. A new bill, AB-1921, would force publishers to give 60 days’ notice before a digital game operator stops providing the services necessary for the “ordinary use of the digital game,” and to communicate this to anyone who has purchased it.
Publishers would also need to provide a version of the game that can be used by the purchaser independently of services controlled by the operator, such as a private server not linked to the developer. If these conditions are not met, publishers would need to provide a “refund in an amount equal to the full purchase price paid for the digital game by the purchaser.”
There are several caveats. These rules would not apply to free games. They also would not apply to games that rely on subscriptions for revenue, such as those that cost nothing up-front but charge a monthly fee or sell additional in-game content or items.
If the bill passes, it will only impact games offered for sale in California on or after Jan. 1, 2027. AB-1921 was first introduced in February and was recently approved by the California Assembly's appropriations committee, Ars Technica reports.
The news comes amid the growing game preservation movement. The “Stop Killing Games” movement launched in 2024 after game publisher Ubisoft shut down support for the 2014 racing game The Crew, rendering it unplayable for owners. The online initiative plans to lobby governments around the world to enact legislation benefiting gamers, and recently announced plans to establish non-governmental organizations in the US and the EU.
The effort has gained support from some high-profile figures in the gaming world, including YouTube streamers such as PewDiePie and Minecraft creator Markus Persson. Even the most successful games aren't immune to eventually being shut down. Anthem, an online-only third-person shooter thought to have sold over 5 million copies, became unplayable in January 2026.
However, there is plenty of opposition to the bill. Ars Technica reports that the Entertainment Software Association, a group that represents major game publishers, told the California Assembly last month that the bill "could place publishers in an impossible position," citing the levels of online infrastructure maintenance required.