Comment Re: "if you pay for it, you own it" (Score 1) 152
They should be compelled to publish the protocol or API for game servers so that anyone can create a server for online play. Or, if a game relies on a server for online play, maybe compel the manufacturer to release a minimal local server and make the source code of that server available in github so anyone can create their own server for that game. They should be compelled to use an open source license for that source code. This would allow anyone to create and host a server for that game and either use it privately (for hosting friends, etc.), or create and market their game server for profit if they wish.
When a company abandons software that was designed to work online, it should be compelled to provide a means for the people who purchased that software to continue to use it after they have stopped supporting it.
It should be the standard, and, if necessary, a law (or regulation) should be created that compels companies to do this with *any* software that they sell commercially.