Updated

Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) announced plans to introduce federal legislation aimed at ensuring consumers who purchase digital video games actually own them, rather than merely holding a revocable license. The bill would address situations where online games are decommissioned or publishers remotely revoke access after purchase, with Torres arguing 'when you pay for a game, you should own it.' The proposal responds to long-running consumer frustration over publishers shutting down servers or delisting purchased digital titles, leaving buyers without access despite having paid full price. It follows similar 'right to repair' and ownership advocacy efforts in gaming and adds political weight to a consumer-protection debate that has grown alongside the industry's shift to digital storefronts.