The Protect Our Games Act (AB 1921) collapsed in the California State Senate Committee after advancing further than expected. Assemblyman Chris Ward's bill would have required game publishers to maintain paid games after servers shut down, addressing growing concerns about digital game preservation. The measure cleared the Assembly with a 43-16 vote but fell three votes short in committee, where four senators voted yes, three voted no, and three abstained.

Stop Killing Games volunteers credited their progress to grassroots organizing despite operating on a $0 budget with no paid California staff. The movement faced the well-funded Entertainment Software Association, which deployed D.C. lobbyist Jennifer Gibbons to argue against the bill, claiming community servers were illegal and created safety risks.

ESA argued that private servers infringe on publisher IP rights and lack proper oversight, citing Minecraft and Call of Duty community servers as problematic. However, Microsoft actually provides official resources for hosting community servers, contradicting ESA's claims. The lobbying group also alleged the bill would force studios to build entirely new products.

SKG plans to return with in-person lobbying presence, proper funding, and developer support for future legislative sessions. The group aims to expand nationally with similar bills in other states and at the federal level, learning from their near-success in California.