Digital game ownership gets huge boost as US law hits back at PlayStation

Thanks to the PlayStation 6, physical games are done and dusted.

Soon, it will be gone with the discs and onwards with store downloads. Despite blackouts and boycotts against PlayStation due to the digital switch, and Xbox's responsive new programme to protect games' legacies, Sony has stood by the decision to plunge us into a new era.

It's a decision that has sent shockwaves through the gaming community, who have long campaigned for true ownership of their titles, which means delisting and end-of-support cycles won't impact the ability to enjoy nostalgic or misfired games.

And it's not just older games gathering dust that are affected. Live-service titles can disappear entirely when companies decide the time has come to move on, leaving dedicated communities with precious little to show for their support.

Take XDefiant and Anthem, for example.

But now, a new proposal from the United States could give that argument some serious momentum. And with major publishers, including Sony, operating in a market where digital purchases are increasingly common, the potential implications are worth paying attention to.

New US bill could change digital game ownership for PlayStation and Xbox players

US Representative Ritchie Torres has announced plans for the Power To The Players Act, a proposed piece of legislation intended to strengthen consumer rights when buying video games. The proposal would direct the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to establish protections designed to give players ownership of the games they purchase, rather than simply a licence that could potentially be revoked.

One of the biggest aims is to ensure that games with online features remain playable when publishers shut down their servers. Under the proposal, companies would need to provide an offline mode before shutting down those services, allowing players to keep accessing their purchases after official support ends.

The bill also aims to protect players' ability to transfer and resell games. In other words, the goal is to give consumers more control over their digital libraries instead of leaving access entirely at the discretion of publishers.

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Torres has pointed to NBA 2K25 as an example of why these protections matter. Despite launching at a premium price, the game is scheduled to be removed from digital storefronts on 30 October 2026, with its online servers set to shut down on 31 December. That's a relatively short window for a game that cost players up to $99.99 for its All-Star Edition.

The proposal could have implications across the industry, including for PlayStation and Xbox players who increasingly rely on digital purchases. However, it is important to note that the bill is not yet law. Torres has announced plans to introduce it, and its requirements would need to progress through the legislative process before taking effect.

For now, players will have to wait and see whether the proposal advances. But as the conversation around game preservation grows, the message from consumers is becoming harder to ignore: buying a game should mean more than hoping a publisher lets you keep playing it.