THE Bill 3612/2026inspired by the international movement Stop killing gameswants to create new rules to prevent games purchased by consumers from simply stopping working after the servers are shut down. The proposal modifies the legal framework for gaming and consumer protection standards.
Continue after commercial
Presented by the federal deputy Jandira Feghali (PCdoB-RJ)the project was developed with the participation of Marcio Filhopresident of the Association of Game Creators of Rio de Janeiro. The discussion has grown stronger amid advances in digital distribution and preservation debates sparked by cases such as the closure of The crew and Sony’s announcement on the future of physical media.
One of the main proposals is to require companies to clearly inform when a game depends on servers, if it has a fully offline single-player mode, what is the minimum support period and what are the limitations of the license acquired by the consumer.
For games sold with online functions, the text establishes at least two years of operation of essential services after launch in Brazil. If a company decides to turn off the servers after this period, it must notify players who have at least 180 days in advancealso informing the reasons and the solution that will be proposed.
When closing, the company must offer at least one alternative: launch an update allowing the game to continue working without official servers, provide a proportional refund, or provide tools so that the community itself can operate the game.
The text also aims to provide greater legal certainty to community serversestablishing operating rules, transparency and revenue limits. The measure would allow communities to keep certain games after official support ends, provided they meet the conditions set out in the legislation.
Preserving games is also part of the proposal
Another point of the PL concerns the historical preservation of video games. The proposal provides that Brazilian games and titles considered relevant to the national audience can be recognized under the Brazilian digital cultural heritage.
The project also provides mechanisms to store copies of games and technical materials for preservation, research and non-commercial use, without depriving companies of their intellectual property rights. The idea is to reduce the risk of works disappearing as stores, servers and technologies cease to exist.
Companies that terminate their services before the minimum period may also receive fines. The expected penalty corresponds to the highest value between 1% of gross revenues obtained through gambling in Brazil or R$500,000calculated proportionally to the remaining period.
The project must still go through Congress
Despite the proposals, PL 3612/2026 is not yet law. The text must pass through the committees, be approved by the House and the Senate and, subsequently, receive presidential assent. During processing, its content may still undergo modifications.
Continue after commercial
If it moves forward, the proposal could place Brazil in an already ongoing international debate over digital ownership and preservation of video games. The goal is not to force companies to maintain servers forever, but to establish rules for what happens to a game when its support ends.
Rachele Victoria
Rachele Victoria has a degree in Letters, an MBA in Innovation and has worked in the field of communication and gamer content for 10 years.
See all articles →
Amazon Prime is also made for gamers!
Every month, get exclusive articles, free games, a free subscription to Twitch.tv and more with your subscription Prime. Click here for a 30-day free trial.
