California bill to preserve online games stalls after trade group likens fan-run servers to piracy

A California bill that would require game publishers to keep titles playable after official server shutdowns has failed to advance in a Senate committee, derailed in part by a trade group's controversial comparison of community-run servers to piracy. The bill, AB 1921, needed a majority vote but fell short, with four Democrats voting yes, three Republicans voting no, and the remaining Democrats abstaining, GamingOnLinux reported. The hearing took a sharp turn when a representative from the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) spoke out against the proposal.

"private Minecraft servers are 'illegal' and constitute 'piracy'"

The ESA's claim drew immediate criticism from gamers and digital rights advocates, especially because the bill's author, Assemblyman Chris Ward, had pointed to Minecraft and Call of Duty as examples of games that already rely on community-run servers, according to IGN. Ward suggested that such models could serve as a blueprint for preserving other online games after official support ends.

The ESA has since quietly distanced itself from the most inflammatory part of its testimony, though it has not fully abandoned its opposition to private servers. According to PC Gamer, the trade association is "now quietly walking back these statements" while still criticizing Minecraft community servers for lacking Microsoft's safety standards. The walkback did little to soothe the backlash, as the gaming community saw the initial remarks as a fundamental attack on fan-run preservation efforts.

The failure of AB 1921 is a setback for the Stop Killing Games campaign, which has been pushing for legislation to prevent publishers from rendering purchased games unplayable. GamingOnLinux noted that the campaign "continues its fight despite this setback," and supporters are already looking to future legislative sessions or alternative strategies. The controversy over the ESA's remarks has at least brought wider attention to the issue of game preservation, even if the bill itself did not advance.