When consumers purchase a digital video game, do they actually own it? Increasingly, the answer is no. Many companies sell licenses to access games rather than ownership, meaning consumers can lose access when a company shuts down its online services.

I will soon introduce companion legislation to Senator Kane’s SB 1506, the Protect Our Games Act, to strengthen consumer protections. The bill would require video game manufacturers to provide 60 days’ notice before discontinuing a game or changing its features and offer purchasers at least one of the following options:

1. The ability to play the game offline.
2. A patch allowing continued online play independent of the company’s services.
3. A refund based on the game’s highest price in the previous 12 months, with a minimum refund of 25% of the original purchase price.

The legislation includes exemptions for subscription-based games, free games (unless consumers have made in-game purchases), and games that provide permanent offline access. The Protect Our Games Act would be enforced by the Pennsylvania Attorney General and District Attorneys.

Please consider joining me as a cosponsor of this important consumer protection legislation.