European Gamers Launch Petition to Save Online Games from Server Shutdowns
A European citizen's initiative, "Stop Killing Games," is demanding the European Union legislate against game publishers shutting down online games and rendering digital purchases unplayable. The petition, aiming for one million signatures within a year, seeks to hold publishers accountable for server closures that erase players' investments.
The campaign, spearheaded by Ross Scott, cites Ubisoft's shutdown of The Crew as a prime example of the problem. The closure left millions of players with worthless in-game purchases. Scott draws parallels to the lost films of the silent era, highlighting the irretrievable loss of player investment when online-only games are deactivated.
The proposed law wouldn't demand publishers relinquish intellectual property, source code, or provide perpetual support. Instead, it mandates that games remain playable at the time of shutdown, leaving the implementation details to the publishers. Even free-to-play games with microtransactions would be subject to this rule, ensuring purchased items remain accessible.
The petition, launched in August 2024, has already gathered significant support, but needs to reach one million signatures to be considered by the EU. While the goal is ambitious, the campaign has a year to achieve it. The initiative also emphasizes that while only EU citizens can sign, global support through awareness and sharing is crucial to its success.
The "Stop Killing Games" website provides details on signing the petition and offers country-specific guidance. The organizers hope this initiative will spark a global movement to protect player investments in digital games.
