Gamers Push Back Against Industry Practice of 'Killing' Games, California Considers AB 1921

The Stop Killing Games initiative, led by gamers, seeks to prevent publishers from making games unplayable when they become commercially unviable. While most gamers support the movement, it has faced significant opposition from the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) in the U.S.

California is now considering a new law, AB 1921, also known as the Protect Our Games Act. This legislation would require companies planning to shut down online services necessary to play a game to:

• Provide two months’ advance notice.
• Either release a patch allowing players to continue playing offline or on private servers, or
• Offer a full refund to purchasers.

The bill’s objective is not to force companies to maintain servers indefinitely but to give customers the option to run games themselves if publishers no longer wish to host them.

According to Stop Killing Games, the ESA has lobbied against AB 1921, arguing that:

• Games are licensed, not owned.
• Online services are complex to maintain.
• Third-party licenses may expire.
• Security risks exist.
• Enforcement could be difficult or costly.

Stop Killing Games counters that these concerns are neither new nor insurmountable. Expired third-party licenses may impact future sales, but they do not justify disabling private use for those who have already purchased the game. Security risks can be mitigated with standard warnings, and the bill does not compel companies to disclose sensitive technical details.

"AB 1921 is narrow. It applies to paid games going forward and gives companies options: preserve ordinary use, patch the game, or refund the purchaser."

The initiative emphasizes that the bill is not a demand for perpetual server support but a simple principle: If a company sells a paid game, it should not later destroy its ordinary use without notice or remedy.

The ESA’s opposition appears to aim at preventing companies from spending minimal amounts to honor their commitment to paying customers from the outset. If games are "licensed, not owned," Stop Killing Games asks, shouldn’t they really be owned?

Stop Killing Games has announced it will soon release a detailed video explaining the issue. In the meantime, the initiative urges U.S. organizations, particularly in California, to reach out or submit a letter of support to the Assembly Committee on Appropriations.