Petition to the United States: Safeguarding Consumer Ownership of Digital Video Games
 

To the President of the United States, and the relevant U.S. government agencies, including the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Department of Justice:

We, the undersigned citizens of the United States, urge your administration to take immediate action to protect consumer rights regarding the ownership of digital video games and to prohibit the practice of publishers rendering purchased games unplayable through the cessation of support.

This growing trend, often a form of planned obsolescence, represents a fundamental betrayal of consumer trust and a direct assault on the principle of product ownership in the digital age. Unlike physical goods, where ownership is clear and enduring, an increasing number of digital video games are sold without stated expiration dates, yet are designed to become completely unplayable as soon as a publisher decides to end their "support."

Speaking from personal experience, I have witnessed this frustrating reality firsthand, losing access to three games I legitimately purchased. This is not simply about entertainment; it's about a financial transaction where the consumer is implicitly promised perpetual access to a product, only for that access to be arbitrarily revoked. We do not lose access to a vehicle or a house once it's paid for, unless we violate the law. The same standard of ownership should apply to digital products.

This practice is not only detrimental to individual consumers, who lose the value of their purchases, but it also creates an insurmountable barrier to video game preservation. As digital games become unplayable, significant cultural and historical artifacts are effectively erased, denying future generations the ability to experience and study these works.

Existing consumer protection frameworks in the United States, while robust for physical goods, have not adequately addressed the unique challenges posed by the digital licensing models prevalent in the video game industry. We believe that consumers are often misled into believing they are purchasing a product, when in reality, they are merely acquiring a revocable license.

We respectfully request that the U.S. government investigate this concerning practice and consider implementing policies and legislation that would:

Affirm and protect the right of consumers to retain access to digital video games they have purchased, independent of ongoing publisher support or server availability.
Establish clear guidelines for "ownership" versus "licensing" in digital goods, ensuring transparency and preventing deceptive sales practices.
Encourage or mandate mechanisms for the long-term preservation of digital video games, even after commercial support has ended, to safeguard cultural heritage.
Explore legal avenues to hold publishers accountable for devaluing or effectively confiscating digital products consumers have paid for.
While international efforts are underway in countries like France, Germany, Australia, and within the European Union, the United States has a critical role to play in setting a global precedent for consumer protection in the digital realm.

We urge your administration to champion the rights of American consumers and to ensure that the purchase of a video game means true ownership, not just a temporary rental. Let's stop the destruction of games and preserve our digital heritage for all.