The video game industry is rapidly shifting toward an all-digital future. Yet, while technological infrastructure has evolved to support this transition, consumer protections have lagged far behind. Luckily, in Mexico, lawmakers are taking steps to address this so that the digital future is a little less terrifying.
Luis Donaldo Colosio Riojas, chair of the Senate’s Digital Rights Commission, recently released a video announcing a series of legislative proposals intended to reform consumer protection laws for digital goods across Mexico.
Joined by Federal Congresswoman Iraís Reyes, the senator outlined measures specifically targeting digital purchases and gamer rights. The initiative seeks to expand consumer rights just as physical media is close to becoming obsolete.
What Will Happen with Digitally Purchased Video Games?
At the heart of the proposal is a mandate requiring platforms and publishers to explicitly inform consumers what they are paying for prior to checkout.
This issue is particularly important in the gaming sector, where purchasing a title on platforms like the PlayStation Store, Xbox Store, or Steam grants access to a software license rather than actual ownership in the physical sense.
Under the proposed law, digital vendors must clearly disclose before a transaction whether a customer is purchasing digital property or merely renting a license, as well as the specific terms under which access to that content could be suspended or revoked.
Ultimately, the bill aims to eliminate post-purchase surprises by ensuring consumers realize that many standard “digital purchases” are actually temporary rentals.
Safeguarding Game Preservation After Server Closures
The legislation also addresses the issue of games becoming entirely unplayable once online servers are shut down.
For games sold under an indefinite license that require server connectivity to run, the initiative would require publishers to implement a functional preservation plan before discontinuing online support.
In practice, if a company permanently shuts down a game’s official servers (as seen with titles like Ubisoft’s The Crew), the publisher would be obligated to provide technical tools or offline patches, where technically feasible and legally permissible, to allow local play. For multiplayer-focused titles, this could mean enabling players to host private servers to keep the game alive.
Holding Foreign Digital Platforms Accountable
Colosio and Reyes’ proposal further addresses a widespread issue: where do consumers go to when transactions with international companies go wrong?
The bill proposes that foreign digital storefronts selling products within Mexico maintain a registered legal address in the country. This requirement would grant domestic regulatory authorities the jurisdiction needed to intervene and resolve consumer disputes effectively.
An Issue that Will Become Increasingly Significant for Gamers
This legislative push arrives as physical media continues to lose market share to digital downloads, with major industry players like Sony increasingly leaning toward digital-exclusive releases for upcoming titles.
Colosio has previously criticized the current framework, observing that digital consumers frequently pay full price as if acquiring property, only to be granted rights of a temporary tenant. Video gaming and entertainment media website LEVEL UP had previously reported that both Colosio and Reyes filed a formal complaint against Sony regarding its market practices and the phase-out of physical media.
While these proposed initiatives must still pass through the legislative process before becoming law, their approval could fundamentally reshape how digital media is purchased, managed, and preserved in Mexico.
Article originally published on LevelUP.
