Stop Killing Games Backs California Bill That Could Force Publishers to Keep Games Playable

The Stop Killing Games movement has officially thrown its support behind a California bill that aims to protect players when online games are permanently shut down.

Known as AB 1921, or the Protect Our Games Act, the bill was introduced by Chris Ward, a California State Assembly member since 2020. It targets "live-service" and "server-connected" games, pushing publishers to be upfront about long-term support and what happens when the plug gets pulled.

The bill has gone through a significant review process and is expected to be debated soon.

What the Bill Actually Requires

According to Ward's original proposal, AB 1921 would require companies selling live-service games to notify consumers of the end-of-support date. On top of that, publishers would be prohibited from selling games within the final two months of their service life. Before servers shut down, companies would also need to present an alternative plan for preserving access or enabling offline play.

As per the updated proposal (in April 2026), the new rules are expected to apply to games released after January 1, 2027, and would require publishers or developers to patch games losing online-only functionality so they remain playable offline. If that is not feasible, consumers would be entitled to a full refund of the original purchase price.

Publishers must send a warning to players, both in-game and on the company's official website, at least 60 days before a game's servers are scheduled to go offline. Players must also be clearly informed about:

• Which online features will be disabled

• Any potential security risks tied to the shutdown

• Technical requirements needed to keep the game functional offline over time

The bill does have some exceptions. Subscription-based game services, free-to-play titles, and games sold as one-time downloads that were designed to function fully offline from launch are all exempt.

Stop Killing Games Support the Bill

Stop Killing Games recently confirmed that it fully supports AB 1921 and has actively advised Ward on aspects of the bill's drafting.

Earlier this year, the group announced two NGOs—one in the EU and one in the USA. The US-based NGO is lobbying for changes on the government side through new laws or amendments to consumer protection regulations.

Meanwhile, in the EU, after collecting more than one million verified signatures, the SKG-backed "Stop Destroying Videogames initiative" is set to appear as a special guest at a European Parliament hearing on April 16, 2026. The public session will involve the IMCO, JURI, and PETI committees, followed by a Stop Killing Games press conference moderated by campaign leaders.

According to recent updates from SKG, the movement has also held talks with the UK's Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). New sponsors, including Torn and Alderon Games, have come on board, and plans for website updates and an SKG skin pack are also in the works.