European Gamers Launch Petition to Save Online Games from Server Shutdowns
A European citizen's initiative, "Stop Killing Games," is demanding EU legislation to protect players' investments in online games facing server shutdowns. Inspired by Ubisoft's closure of The Crew, which rendered 12 million players' purchases unplayable, the petition aims to prevent publishers from rendering games inaccessible after ending support.
The petition, launched in August 2024, needs one million signatures within a year to trigger a formal legislative proposal. While already boasting over 183,593 signatures, the campaign faces a significant hurdle in reaching its goal. Eligibility is limited to European citizens of voting age.
Campaign organizer Ross Scott highlights the initiative's alignment with existing consumer protection policies and expresses optimism about its potential global impact, even if initially limited to Europe. He describes server shutdowns as "planned obsolescence," comparing it to the loss of silent films due to silver reclamation.
The proposed law would require publishers selling or licensing games within the EU to maintain the game in a playable state upon termination of service. The specific method of achieving this would be left to the publishers. Importantly, the initiative clarifies that it does not demand:
- Relinquishing intellectual property rights
- Surrendering source code
- Providing indefinite support
- Maintaining server hosting
- Assuming liability for player actions
The petition also seeks to protect players' microtransaction purchases in free-to-play games. Scott points to Knockout City's successful transition to a free-to-play model with private server support as a positive example.
To participate, visit the "Stop Killing Games" website and sign the petition. Only one signature per person is allowed. The website offers country-specific guidance to ensure signature validity. Even non-Europeans can contribute by spreading awareness of the initiative, aiming to create a wider industry-wide change.
