The California State Legislature has introduced a 'Game Protection Bill' aimed at ensuring long-term support for server-dependent video games.

The bill shares the same spirit as the 'Stop Killing Games' movement, which originated in Europe. That campaign began after Ubisoft unilaterally shut down the servers for 'The Crew,' leaving players with no way to access the game. A recent similar case occurred when BioWare's shooter 'Anthem' became unplayable following its own server shutdown.

Introduced by Assemblymember Christopher M. Ward, Assembly Bill 1921 (AB 1921) primarily focuses on requiring companies that sell live-service games to notify consumers of a service termination date at least two months in advance. Under this bill, game publishers must use in-game messages and announcements to specify which online features will be deactivated, as well as provide information regarding potential security risks and instructions for offline play. Additionally, the sale of such games would be prohibited starting two months before the service termination date.

Furthermore, if passed, the bill would prevent game publishers from unilaterally shutting down servers for games that require an online connection. The bill stipulates that publishers must provide an 'offline mode' that allows continued access to the game after servers are shut down. If providing an offline mode is technically unfeasible, the bill mandates that publishers offer a full refund of the game's purchase price.

Of course, this bill is currently only in the proposal stage and must pass through many steps before becoming law. However, with the 'Stop Killing Games' movement in Europe having already gathered nearly 1.3 million signatures and awaiting review by the European Commission, the momentum to guarantee the continued playability of video games continues to grow.