California Assembly Passes AB 1921 Protect Our Games Act 43-16
Assembly vote enacts notice and access rules for post-2027 digital games; Senate and governor approval pending.
The California State Assembly passed bill AB 1921 on May 27 by a 43-16 vote, requiring publishers of digital games released or resold after January 1, 2027, to provide 60 days' notice before service termination and maintain playable access via patches or alternatives.
California Legislative Information records show the bill excludes subscription services, free-to-play titles, and offline-indefinite games while prohibiting sales of rendered-unusable products; primary text mandates refunds where access cannot be preserved (https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB1921).
Video Game History Foundation submissions to the Assembly detail prior cases including Ubisoft's 2024 The Crew shutdown, where server closure eliminated purchased access, and contrast ESA statements on IP and security risks with preservation arguments treating games as cultural artifacts (https://gamehistory.org).
Ross Scott: Bill passage forces industry to address offline patches or refunds, setting precedent for EU petitions.
Sources (3)
- [1]California Legislative Information AB 1921(https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB1921)
- [2]Invenglobal on Assembly Passage(https://www.invenglobal.com/articles/22330/stop-killing-games-movement-gains-momentum-california-assembly-passes-game-protection-bill)
- [3]Video Game History Foundation Testimony(https://gamehistory.org)