French group proposes game preservation law

A political group in France, La France Insoumise, has introduced a bill to the National Assembly that would give the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF) the responsibility of preserving video games that are abandoned by their publishers. The proposal was registered on September 15 and is numbered 3169.

Bill aims to protect player rights

The bill, led by deputy Ugo Bernalicis and party leader Marie Mesmeur, seeks to ensure that players retain access to digital games even if their publishers stop supporting them. It does not prevent publishers from closing servers for economic reasons but requires the BnF to step in if that happens.

BnF already preserves many games

The BnF currently preserves more than 22,000 video game titles through legal deposit. The bill would give the institution the legal authority and technical resources needed to host and maintain these games for the long term.

Inspired by public campaign

The initiative was influenced by the Stop Killing Games campaign, which collected nearly 1.3 million signatures across Europe. This movement led to legal action against Ubisoft after the company shut down servers for its game The Crew.

Bill set for parliamentary debate

The proposed law will be officially presented and debated on October 29, 2026, during a parliamentary session. The goal is to align digital consumer rights with those in the physical world, such as the ability to lend, exchange, or resell games.