California AB 1921 Draws 2-Sided Fight Over Game Shutdown Refunds
Updated
Updated · Eurogamer.net · May 11
California AB 1921 Draws 2-Sided Fight Over Game Shutdown Refunds
5 articles · Updated · Eurogamer.net · May 11
AB 1921 would force publishers to give California players 60 days' notice before ending online services, then provide an offline-capable version, a patch, or a refund for paid digital games.
The ESA says those requirements misread how modern games rely on changing online systems, licensed content and evolving technology, and could divert resources from new titles and features.
Chris Ward, the assembly member behind the bill, frames it as a consumer fairness measure, arguing buyers who paid significant sums should not lose ordinary access without a remedy.
Stop Killing Games backs the proposal as a narrow end-of-life rule—not a mandate for perpetual server support—echoing a broader preservation fight it has also pushed in Europe.
Could a new California bill force publishers to make 'dead' online games playable forever?
Is the 'Stop Killing Games' movement a necessary consumer right or a threat to industry innovation?
When a game's servers shut down, should players get a refund or an offline mode to keep playing?