On October 15, 2026, the office of U.S. Representative Ritchie Torres announced that he would introduce the Power To The Players Act, a proposal aimed at protecting ownership and continued play for digital video games. The announcement describes an intended measure, not an enacted law. Torres’s office said the proposal would direct the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to establish regulations.
What the proposal would change for game buyers
Under the plan, buying a game would mean owning it rather than receiving only a license to play. The announcement also describes rights to play and transfer purchased games. Torres’s statement names transfer as a consumer right, while his office says the proposal aims to preserve resale.
The intended shift is significant for digital buyers: the proposal treats a purchase as more than permission to access a game. Its practical effect would depend on the regulations the FTC established under the proposed measure.
Offline play after servers shut down
For games with online functionality, the proposal would require an offline mode before the supporting servers shut down. Offline play is the stated goal; the announcement does not promise that every online feature would remain available.
The NBA 2K25 example
Torres’s office cited NBA 2K25 in its October 15 announcement. It listed the Standard Edition at $69.99 and the All-Star Edition at $99.99. The announcement also scheduled the game’s digital delisting for October 30, 2026, and its online server shutdown for December 31, 2026.
