NBA 2K25's Career Mode Switches Off on 1 January. A Congressman Says You Should Own Your Games.

Opening & At a Glance

Somewhere a player has a MyCareer save in NBA 2K25 with a few hundred hours in it. A point guard built up one attribute at a time. On 1 January 2027 that save stops loading. Not because the disc broke or the console died. Because 2K turns off the servers that the single-player career mode quietly depends on.

That's the example Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) chose on 15 October 2026 when he announced the Power To The Players Act. His pitch fits on a sticker: if you pay for a game, you own it. The harder question is what that would mean in practice, and right now nobody can answer it, because the bill hasn't been filed.

What Happened, in Plain English

Torres's office put out a short release. It says digital games are "often sold as revocable licenses rather than owned outright," and that under the bill, buying a game would give you ownership. Games with online features would have to ship an offline mode before their servers go dark. The release also mentions keeping the ability to resell and transfer games. His line: "A game that can be taken away the moment a company pulls the plug is not a purchase. It is a rental disguised as a sale."

He told Kotaku's Ethan Gach the idea is a "restoration to the historical norm" of the cartridge and disc years, and called it an "affordability issue." He didn't say whether the bill will have cosponsors. Kotaku tied the timing to the Stop Killing Games campaign and to a holiday where, it reported, Grand Theft Auto VI arrives as a download code in a box.

Then there's 2K's own notice, which is blunter than any press release. As of 1 January 2027 there's no multiplayer, no online modes, no way to earn Virtual Currency, and no MyCAREER or MyTEAM. VGC and Dexerto explain why the career mode goes with the servers: progression and attribute upgrades run through VC on 2K's servers. Dexerto, citing the fan site NLSC, says MyCareer hasn't had an offline option since NBA 2K20.

Confirmed vs Analysis — Keep the Labels Honest

Why the Offline Clause Is the Real Fight

Here's my read. "Ownership" is the headline, but it's the vaguest part of the idea. You can already redownload NBA 2K25 after 30 October and play four modes forever. Is that owning it? Torres would probably say no. 2K would say yes. A court would want text.

The offline-mode requirement is where it would actually bite, and MyCareer shows why. That mode isn't online because basketball needs a network. It's online because progress runs through a premium currency on a server. Under a rule like the one Torres describes, a publisher would have to unhook that before shutdown, or design it differently in the first place. That's a real cost, and publishers will say so loudly. It's also the part players would feel.

There's a precedent for the softer version. California's AB 2426 has been in force since 1 January 2025. Sellers there can't use words like "buy" or "purchase" for a digital game unless they make clear it's a license that can be revoked. Games with permanent offline access are exempt, which is a hint about where a federal rule could land.

One more thing, and it cuts in 2K's favour. 2K publishes its shutdown dates years ahead. You can look up the end date for NBA 2K27 today. Most publishers give you nothing until the notice lands. If Congress wants a quick win that doesn't need a decade of lobbying, it could start there: put the sunset date on the store page before money changes hands. That won't save a MyCareer save. It would at least make the deal honest. We made a related point about subscriptions when Gears of War: E-Day's Game Pass numbers made the $70 box look optional. Renting is fine. Pretending it's buying isn't.

Questions Readers Are Likely to Ask

Is this law now? No. It's an announced proposal. As of 17 October no bill text or number had been published, and any FTC rules would come after it passes.

Will it save my NBA 2K25 career save? Almost certainly not by 1 January 2027. Nothing has been filed, let alone passed.

Can I still play NBA 2K25 next year? Yes, if you already own it. Play Now, MyNBA, The W and MyWNBA stay available offline, according to 2K.

Closing & Sources

Confirmed: Torres announced a bill on 15 October to make game purchases mean ownership and to force offline modes before shutdowns, using NBA 2K25 as the example. 2K's notice confirms the 30 October delisting and the 1 January loss of MyCAREER and MyTEAM. Not yet known: the bill's text, cosponsors, or what an FTC rule would demand. My opinion: watch the offline clause. It's the one line that would change how live-service games get built.

• Office of Rep. Ritchie Torres — "Rep. Torres Announces Power To The Players Act, Legislation to Ensure Gamers Own Their Games" (15 Oct 2026)
• Kotaku (Ethan Gach) — "Rep. Ritchie Torres Announces Congressional Legislation To Protect Video Game Ownership" (15 Oct 2026)
• 2K Support — "NBA 2K25: Server Sunset" and "2K Online Services Status"
• VGC and Dexerto — NBA 2K25 delisting and MyCareer shutdown coverage (Oct 2026)
• TheDashDouble and Trestlewire — bill status, no text published (Oct 2026)
• California Business and Professions Code §17500.6 (AB 2426, effective 1 Jan 2025)

Methodology Note: Editorial synthesis of Rep. Torres's release and 2K's support pages (primary), with Kotaku, VGC, Dexerto, TheDashDouble and Trestlewire for reporting and status. The bill has not been filed; descriptions reflect the announcement only. RogueGhost is not affiliated with 2K, Take-Two or any campaign. Not legal advice. Analysis labelled as analysis.