California’s Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development committee rejected the Protect Our Games Act, halting the bill that would force publishers to warn players 60 days before pulling a game offline. The vote recorded four yeses, three noes and four abstentions, triggering a unanimous motion to reconsider the measure later. Supporters hope the reconsideration will revive momentum before the session ends.

Advocates from the Stop Killing Games campaign, which helped shepherd the bill through the Assembly with a 43‑16 vote, said the abstentions killed the proposal for this session. They allege the Entertainment Software Association hired a lobbyist to argue that private servers—like those for Minecraft—would become illegal, a claim they plan to counter with on‑site lobbying next year. They also seek endorsements from indie developers.

If enacted, the law would require publishers and digital game operators to give consumers a 60‑day notice and options for refunds or continued play via private or community servers, excluding subscription and free‑to‑play titles. Such a framework could spare developers from massive refund liabilities while preserving access for players, marking the first serious legislative push against game server shutdowns in the United States.