A new amendment to the Game Industry Promotion Act has been submitted to the National Assembly to regulate the safe transfer of player data when game services are discontinued or contracts between developers and publishers expire.

On the 4th, Representative Kim Seong-won of the People Power Party officially proposed the amendment. The legislative intent addresses recent issues where user gameplay data and payment history have been lost due to service terminations or contract expirations between developers and publishers. As current laws lack clear provisions to mandate the safe transfer of user data in such situations, this bill aims to protect user rights and interests from corporate disputes.

The amendment introduces a new Article 14-2, which mandates the secure protection of user gameplay records and billing information. Furthermore, in the event of service suspension or the termination of a contract between a developer and a publisher, game operators are required to consult and take measures for data transfer upon obtaining user consent. They cannot refuse such consultation or measures without a legitimate reason, and the specific scope of user information, transfer procedures, and criteria for legitimate reasons will be determined by Presidential Decree.

This amendment appears to be influenced by the recent conflict between Hound 13 and Webzen regarding the game 'Dragon Sword'. Beyond this, situations where players suffer due to breakdowns in collaboration between small-to-medium development teams and large publishers—such as the abrupt service termination of 'Goddess Order'—have occurred repeatedly. This amendment seeks to protect game users by making data transfer an obligation for the operating entity, primarily the publisher.

However, if the amendment is passed in its current form, there is a possibility that publishers could be unilaterally exploited or that core assets could be seized by other distributors. It appears necessary to supplement the law through a Presidential Decree that defines the scope of 'usage records' and the criteria for 'legitimate reasons'.