California's Stop Killing Games-backed consumer protection bill has cleared a major early vote, with Assembly Bill 1921 passing the State Assembly 43 votes to 16 on May 27.
The bill, formally titled the Protect Our Games Act, is now in the California State Senate. It is not law yet, but the vote moves the proposal from campaign pressure into a more serious legislative stage for publishers that sell paid digital games in the state.
According to California Legislative Information, AB 1921 was read for the first time in the Senate on May 28 and sent to the Rules Committee for assignment.
What AB 1921 would require
The current bill text would apply to digital games first sold or rereleased for purchase on or after January 1, 2027. It targets operators that control whether a purchaser can make ordinary use of a game, including through authentication systems, server access, digital rights management or required software updates.
If an operator plans to stop providing services needed for ordinary use, the bill would require 60 days of notice to players and prospective buyers. That notice would need to explain the shutdown date, the services and features being removed, any known security risks and how players can continue using the game or obtain a refund.
Once those services end, the operator would have to provide one of three options: a version of the game that works independently of operator-controlled services, a patch or update enabling continued use or a refund equal to the full purchase price.
The proposal includes limits. It would not cover subscription services that only sell access for the length of the subscription, free games or games sold in a way that the seller cannot later revoke, including permanent offline downloads to external storage.
The Crew shutdown still frames the fight
The Stop Killing Games campaign began as a response to publishers making paid games unplayable after server shutdowns. Ubisoft's shutdown of The Crew became the movement's clearest example because the always-online racer lost both multiplayer and single-player access when its servers went offline.
Stop Killing Games describes itself as a global coalition pushing for legal protections against games being rendered permanently unusable after purchase. Its campaign site argues that publishers should not be able to sell games as paid products, then remove the practical ability to play them when support ends.
Industry opposition has already surfaced. The Entertainment Software Association previously pushed back on the California bill, warning that rules around end-of-service support could force developers to spend limited resources maintaining old systems instead of making new games.
The Senate stage will decide whether AB 1921 keeps moving. If it eventually becomes law, it would give paid digital games sold in California a clearer end-of-life obligation: advance notice and a workable path to keep using the game or get money back.