California advances bill requiring notice and refunds when online games end

California lawmakers have advanced a bill that would require publishers of online video games to give advance notice before cutting off services needed to play a title and to provide an alternative for consumers or a refund, setting the stage for a vote by the full state Assembly.

The measure, described as the Protect Our Games Act and identified in one account as AB1921, would apply only to games sold in California that are released on or after January 1, 2027. Under the current version, digital game publishers or “digital game operators” would have to notify players at least 60 days before services necessary for the ordinary use of the game are set to stop. The bill would also require that, when support ends, players receive either a full refund or a version of the game that continues to function independently of services controlled by the operator, such as an updated offline or otherwise self-contained option.

The proposal includes several exclusions. It would not apply to completely free games, and it would not cover titles that are offered solely for the duration of a subscription or otherwise structured such that subscription access is the primary revenue model.