California's Protect Our Games Act is gaining legislative ground. The bill would force publishers to offer an independent play patch or refunds after shutting down game servers. Stop Killing Games (SKG) backed the measure, arguing no other medium lets companies sell a product then strip access without notice. As live service games dominate the market, the bill targets a growing frustration among consumers.

The Entertainment Software Association pushed back, telling the California Assembly that consumers receive a license to access games, not ownership. ESA warned the bill would force publishers into impossible positions around music and IP rights, often negotiated on time-limited terms. A legal requirement to keep games playable indefinitely could demand endless renegotiations or technically infeasible alterations.

The bill cleared the Assembly's Privacy and Consumer Protection and Judiciary committees last month but still needs majority votes in both chambers before reaching Governor Newsom. For SKG, the progress in California is encouraging after the UK Parliament debate on game preservation stalled last November.