European Gamers Launch Petition to Save Online Games from Server Shutdowns

A significant European initiative, "Stop Killing Games," is underway, aiming to protect players' investments in online games. Triggered by Ubisoft's closure of The Crew, the petition seeks EU legislation to prevent game publishers from rendering games unplayable after ending support.

The "Stop Killing Games" Campaign

The petition, spearheaded by Ross Scott and others, seeks to establish a legal precedent within the EU to safeguard digital purchases. Scott expresses confidence in the initiative's success, citing its alignment with existing consumer protection policies. While the proposed law's direct impact would be limited to Europe, the hope is that its success would influence global industry practices.

This ambitious goal requires navigating the European Citizen’s Initiative process. The campaign needs one million signatures from EU citizens of voting age within one year to formally propose the legislation. As of August, the petition has already garnered over 183,000 signatures.

Holding Publishers Accountable

The impetus for this petition was Ubisoft's decision to shut down The Crew, impacting 12 million players. This highlights the issue of online-only games becoming unplayable after server closures, resulting in the loss of significant player investment. Scott aptly describes this as "planned obsolescence," drawing parallels to historical practices of destroying physical media.

The proposed law wouldn't demand publishers relinquish intellectual property, source code, or provide perpetual support. Instead, it focuses on maintaining the game's playable state at the time of shutdown, leaving the method of achieving this to the publishers. The initiative even extends to free-to-play games with microtransactions, ensuring that purchased items remain accessible.

The petition cites Knockout City's successful transition to a free-to-play model with private server support as a viable alternative. This demonstrates that preserving player access is feasible.

What the Initiative Won't Require:

• Relinquishing intellectual property rights
• Surrendering source code
• Providing endless support
• Hosting servers indefinitely
• Assuming liability for player actions

Supporting the Cause

To participate, visit the "Stop Killing Games" website and sign the petition. Remember, each person can only sign once. The website offers country-specific instructions to ensure signature validity. Even non-European citizens can contribute by spreading awareness of the initiative. The ultimate goal is to create a ripple effect across the gaming industry, preventing future game closures and protecting player investments.