Bill Text: CA AB1921 | 2025-2026 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

---

Bill Title: Digital games: ordinary use.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)

Status: (Engrossed) 2026-06-29 - In committee: Set, first hearing. Failed passage. Reconsideration granted. [AB1921 Detail]

Download: California-2025-AB1921-Amended.html

---

Amended  IN  Assembly  March 19, 2026

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 1921

---

Introduced by Assembly Member Ward

February 12, 2026

---

An act to amend Section 7582.9 of the Business and Professions Code, relating to professions and vocations. An act to add Chapter 6.8 (commencing with Section 20660) to Division 8 of the Business and Professions Code, relating to business.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 1921, as amended, Ward. Private security services. Server-connected games: updates and support period.

Existing law requires every videogame retailer to post a sign, within the retail establishment in a prominent area, providing information to consumers about a videogame rating system or notifying consumers that a rating system is available to aid in the selection of a game, and to make available to consumers, upon request, information that explains the videogame rating system.

This bill would impose requirements on publishers and companies with regard to server-connected games published for sale on or after January 1, 2027, including, among other things, requiring a company to provide notification of the game’s end of life to the public and to users, as specified, and prohibiting a publisher from selling, leasing, or otherwise distributing the game after the date that is 2 months before the end of life date for the game. The bill would define “server-connected game” to mean any game that a person accesses using their own device while connected to a server hosted by a game developer or game publisher, as specified, “end of life” to mean the point at which the company ceases providing necessary updates or support for a server-connected game, even if the game is still in use, and other terms for its purposes. The bill would authorize the Attorney General or a district attorney to bring a civil action for a violation of these provisions.

Existing law establishes the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services within the Department of Consumer Affairs and places the bureau under the supervision and control of the Director of Consumer Affairs. Existing law, the Private Security Services Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of private patrol operators and the registration of security guards by the Director of Consumer Affairs and requires the bureau to provide licensure and regulatory oversight. The act authorizes the director to require an applicant for licensure or their manager to demonstrate their qualifications by a written or oral examination, or a combination of both.

This bill would make nonsubstantive changes to that provision.

Digest Key

Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: NO   Local Program: NO  

---

Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

 Chapter 6.8 (commencing with Section 20660) is added to Division 8 of the Business and Professions Code, to read:

CHAPTER  6.8. Protect Our Games Act

20660.

 This chapter shall be known, and maybe cited, as the Protect Our Games Act.

20662.

 For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions apply:

(a) “End of life” means the point at which the company ceases providing necessary updates or support for a server-connected game, even if the game is still in use.

(b) “End of life plan” means a plan written by a publisher and sent to customers to give customers a reasonable expectation to either continue running or repair a server-connected game they have been sold after support ends without requiring any further intervention or connection to said publisher or affiliated parties.

(c) “Product update” means an update, other than a security update, released for a server-connected game to address effectively a flaw in the software, hardware, or firmware running on the game that interferes with the full functioning of the game.

(d) “Product web page” means a web page specific to the particular server-connected game that contains information about the game and its features.

(e) “Server-connected game” or “game” means any game that a person accesses using their own device while connected to a server hosted by a game developer or game publisher, including any game with features, add-ons, or additional content that are reliant on connection to a server not hosted by the user.

(f) “Support” means service to ensure that a server-connected game continues to fully function and to provide information and guidance to customers regarding proper use of the game.

(g) “Security update” means an update released for a server-connected game to address effectively a vulnerability in the software, hardware, or firmware running on the game.

(h) “Vulnerability” means a flaw in the software, hardware, or firmware running on a server-connected game that lessens the security or integrity of the game.

(i) “Update” means a product update or a security update.

20666.

 The following shall apply only for server-connected games published for sale on or after January 1, 2027:

(a) A company shall provide notification of the game’s end of life to the public on the product web page and to users of the game in both of the following ways:

(1) Two months before the game reaches end of life.

(2) On the date on which the game reaches end of life.

(b) Notifications about the game’s end of life shall include clear information about actions customers can take if they want to continue using the game in a secure and effective manner, and shall provide a list of features lost in, and security risks that are likely to result from, the game’s end of life.

(c) A publisher shall not sell, lease, or otherwise distribute the game after the date that is two months before the end of life date for the game.

(d) A company that owns or controls a game that it leases or otherwise provides to its customers as part of a service shall do all of the following:

(1) Ensure that updates for the game are promptly received by the customer and applied.

(2) Promptly notify customers when the game has reached end of life.

(3) When the game has reached end of life, do either of the following:

(A) Replace the game, at no additional cost to customers, with a comparable game capable of receiving necessary updates and support, when that comparable product is reasonably available to the company, and so notify customers.

(B) Release and circulate to customers an end of life plan, including steps taken to ensure the customer may continue running the game in some fashion after support ends.

20668.

 Actions for relief pursuant to this chapter may be prosecuted exclusively in a court of competent jurisdiction in a civil action brought in the name of the people of the State of California by the Attorney General or by any district attorney.

SECTION 1.Section 7582.9 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:

7582.9.

The director may require an applicant or their manager to demonstrate their qualifications by a written or oral examination, or a combination of both.