'If You Pay for It, You Own It': A Congressman Points to GTA 6's Disc-Free Box in a Push for a Game Ownership Law

When GTA 6 launches on November 19, the boxed copy on store shelves won't contain a disc. It will contain a download code, as we explained in GTA 6 has no disc. That decision has now made its way into Congress. New York Rep. Ritchie Torres is using GTA 6 as a reference point for a new bill he calls the Power to the Players Act, built on one line: "If you pay for it, you own it."

The bill can't change anything about GTA 6's launch, and it hasn't even been formally introduced yet. But it is the clearest sign so far that the shift to digital-only games, with GTA 6 as its biggest example, has become a political issue. Here is what it would do, where it stands, and what it means for you.

What the Power to the Players Act would do

Torres, a Democrat who represents New York's 15th district, announced the bill on October 15 in a press release and a phone interview with Kotaku. As described so far, it would:

• direct the Federal Trade Commission to write rules so that buying a digital game gives you ownership of it, including the right to play and transfer it, rather than a license that can be withdrawn
• require games with online features to keep an offline mode that still works after the servers shut down
• apply to video games only, though Torres hopes it becomes a model for other digital media

Torres framed it as a return to how games used to work with discs and cartridges, and as an affordability issue. A game that can vanish when a company pulls the plug is, in his view, a rental dressed up as a purchase. He also told Kotaku he grew up playing Grand Theft Auto.

Why GTA 6 keeps coming up

GTA 6 is the biggest launch yet without a disc. The Standard Edition's boxed copy is a code in a case, so the "physical" edition and the digital one are the same thing: a license to download the game. Kotaku presented that as a preview of an all-digital future where buyers have little control over what they paid for, and GTA 6 is selling in enormous numbers on exactly those terms, with Sensor Tower estimating more than 6.4 million digital pre-orders already, as we reported in our pre-order breakdown.

The no-disc decision has been controversial since it was revealed in June. Some physical-media retailers refused to stock the game, and it has even been used as a pretext by the anonymous group behind this year's leaks, which demanded discs in its ransom-style notices, as we covered in our CYBERLEEK report.

The example Torres uses isn't GTA

The case Torres points to is NBA 2K25, the fifth best-selling game in the US in 2024. 2K plans to pull it from digital stores on October 30, 2026, and switch off its online servers on January 1, 2027, which would leave its most popular modes unplayable for people who paid $70. Under his bill, games like that would need an offline mode that keeps working after shutdown.

That part is the most relevant to GTA 6 in the long run. Its online component is expected in 2027, according to Bloomberg, and GTA Online has run for more than a decade. Rules about what happens when servers go dark would matter for any game that leans on online play.

Where the bill stands

It is early. According to Kotaku:

• the bill has been announced but not formally introduced
• it would need to go through the committee process like any other legislation
• Torres hasn't confirmed any cosponsors, Republican or otherwise
• most bills never reach a full floor vote, around 87% by Kotaku's count

Expect publishers and platform holders to lobby against it. Even if it passed, the FTC would then have to write the actual rules, which takes time. It joins wider pressure on the industry from consumer campaigns such as Stop Killing Games.

What it means for GTA 6 players

Nothing changes for launch. GTA 6 still arrives on November 19 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, the boxed copy is still a code, and preloading starts on November 12, as our preload guide explains. Rockstar hasn't announced a disc version, and a July report said it has no plans to print one.

In the meantime, watch out for fake "physical" copies. GTA BOOM has found sellers in China listing disc-style GTA 6 box sets for PS5, in both Standard and Ultimate Edition designs. They come with replica cases, approximate artwork and a Blu-ray disc that doesn't play anything, and the sellers describe them as commemorative display models. They are props, not the game, and they have no connection to Rockstar. If you want something official to put on a shelf, the closest thing is Rockstar's own Vice City Collection box, which doesn't include the game either. For downloads that claim to be GTA 6, see our download scam warning.

FAQ

Does GTA 6 come on a disc?

No. The boxed copy contains a download code, not a disc. Rockstar hasn't announced a disc version, and a July report said it has no plans to print one.

What is the Power to the Players Act?

A bill announced by Rep. Ritchie Torres on October 15, 2026, that would have the FTC write rules making digital game purchases ownership rather than licenses, and require offline modes after servers shut down. It hasn't been formally introduced yet.

Would the Power to the Players Act affect GTA 6?

Not at launch. It hasn't been introduced, would need to pass Congress, and the FTC would then need to write rules. In the long run, its offline-mode requirement could matter for games with online features.

Are the GTA 6 discs being sold online real?

No. Disc-style GTA 6 box sets from overseas sellers are unofficial display props with non-working discs. The official boxed copy is a download code.

Sources

• Kotaku - Rep. Ritchie Torres Announces Congressional Legislation To Protect Video Game Ownership
• GTA BOOM - A US Congressman Wants to Make Buying GTA 6 Mean Owning It
• GTA BOOM - GTA 6 Fans Want a Physical Copy So Badly They Are Buying Bootlegs
• Bloomberg Businessweek - The Making of Grand Theft Auto VI