Do you actually own the games you buy? The Power to Players Act, explained

Today, buying a game usually buys a license that can end — NBA 2K25 is reported to go dark on December 31 when its servers close. Rep. Ritchie Torres’s proposed Power to Players Act would direct the FTC to treat a purchase as ownership. It is only a proposal; here is how to protect your library now.

You paid full price, the game sits on your console, your name is on the receipt — surely it is yours? Short answer: Legally, you usually own a license to play the game, not the game itself — and a license can end. The Power to Players Act, proposed by Rep.

Ritchie Torres, would flip that deal so buying a game means owning it. It is a proposal, not a law — here is what it would do, and how to protect your library meanwhile. The case that lit the fire is NBA 2K25, released on September 6, 2025 and reported to become unplayable on December 31 when its servers shut down — sixteen months after launch.

When a game needs the publisher’s servers to run, switching them off can end even solo play. That is the difference: a license lets the seller set an end date; ownership means what you bought cannot be remotely taken back. As Ars Technica reported, the Act would direct the Federal Trade Commission to write rules giving buyers ownership rights in purchased games.

The hurdles are real: defining ownership for server-dependent games is messy, publishers call live games services rather than products, and most bills die along the way. Until the law changes, your protection is in how you buy.1. Prefer DRM-free or offline-capable editions of the games you love most.

Stores that sell downloadable offline installers let you keep a copy no server shutdown can revoke.2. Download the offline installer where one is offered. Do not just install from the cloud — save the installer files to your own drive.3.

Keep your receipts. Order emails and store purchase history are your proof of purchase if access is ever disputed.4. Be skeptical of always-online single-player games.

If a solo game demands a constant connection, its lifespan runs on the publisher’s clock, not yours.5. Watch the bill calmly. If it advances, the FTC rulemaking — not the headlines — decides the real terms.Pro tip: The common mistake is assuming a disc or download equals permanence.

Unplug your internet and launch your favorite game: that ten-second test tells you what you actually own.Ad’s take: You would never accept a car the dealer could disable from headquarters. Games deserve at least that much honesty — and until the law catches up, buy like a skeptic.