A Bill Would Make Buying a Game Mean Owning It. NBA 2K25 Is the Example.
A bill from Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) aims to establish regulations ensuring that buying a video game gives the consumer ownership of the game, Ars Technica reports. The announcement of the bill names NBA 2K25 as an example of the problem it targets: the game launched on September 6, 2025, and is scheduled to become unplayable on December 31 because of server shutdowns.
That example is doing the heavy lifting. Nothing about the transaction at the register looks temporary, while a date on a server calendar says otherwise — which is the gap between what a purchase feels like and what a license actually promises.
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The bill answers a shutdown with a property right and directs the FTC to prevent outcomes like it — two different mechanisms pointed at one problem.
What expires in the 2K25 case is access, not the copy. A property right doesn't keep a server running, which is where a label like ownership may run out of road.