Huge win for gamers and consumer rights! The California State Assembly just passed AB 1921, the Protect Our Games Act. It passed on the floor by a vote of 43 to 16. The bill would force video game companies to give players a heads-up before they shut down the servers for a game. It would also make them provide a way for people to keep playing afterward, like adding offline mode or letting community servers take over. Quick recap of what the bill does: >60-day advance notice before any server shutdown or major service change that would make a game unplayable in its “ordinary use.” >Companies must then provide a workable solution so players can keep playing, usually an offline mode/patch, community server support, or (in some cases) a full refund. >Applies to digital games first sold or substantially re-released in California after January 1, 2027. >Does not affect subscription games, free-to-play titles, or games that are already permanently offline/single-player. >Enforceable by the Attorney General or district attorneys. In short: If you buy a game, you should still be able to play it even after the company moves on. No more “purchase” turning into a rental that expires when the servers die.

The Stop Killing Games campaign just had one of its biggest moments in the European Parliament. During a debate in Strasbourg, many Members of the European Parliament spoke in support of better consumer rights for video games. Most speakers agreed that companies should not be able to shut down games that people had already paid for. Support came from several political groups, including the Greens, Renew Europe, S&D, The Left, and even some EPP members Many MEPs said games should be treated more like products than temporary online services. They argued that buyers should not lose access just because a company ends support or shifts players to a newer title. Some MEPs criticized the European Commission for not taking stronger action. There are concerns it may issue only a non-binding statement instead of new laws. The debate showed that Stop Killing Games is now being taken seriously at the highest political level in Europe. The discussion is no longer only about gaming but also about digital ownership, consumer rights, and companies’ obligations after purchase.

Analyst Says Sony’s Move to Digital-Only Games Was Inevitable, Compares It to Apple Removing CD Drives Industry analyst Daniel Ahmad believes Sony’s move to all-digital was only a matter of time. He compared it to Apple removing CD drives from its laptops in 2008. At the time, many people complained, but Ahmad said, “Not a single person is complaining about it today.” Ahmad also believes Sony was always going to reach this point, saying, “If not PS6, then PS7,” because the console market is now “nearly entirely digital.” However, he says the bigger issue isn’t the end of physical games. Instead, the industry should focus on improving digital consumer rights, including game ownership, refunds, gifting, and family sharing.

PlayStation is facing huge backlash over its new age check rules for UK users, some users say their console is almost unusable now To comply with the Online Safety Act, Sony now requires players to prove their age using a face scan with Yoti, a government ID, or a phone number. This is needed to use voice chat, party chats, messaging, broadcasting, and multiplayer features on PS5 and PS4 consoles. Single-player games can still be played without checking, but social and chat features will be locked from June 2026. Sony has had major data leaks before, and Yoti has been fined for data problems. Long-time players are asking why they must prove their age now. Some UK adults do not want face scans saying this breaks consumer rights by removing features people already paid for.