European Gamers Launch Petition to Save Online Games from Server Shutdowns

A European citizen's initiative, "Stop Killing Games," is striving to protect players' investments in online games. Fueled by Ubisoft's shutdown of The Crew, the petition aims to compel the European Union to legislate against publishers rendering games unplayable after ending support.

The Campaign's Ambitious Goal

The petition, spearheaded by Ross Scott, seeks one million signatures within a year to trigger the EU legislative process. Scott is confident of success, citing alignment with existing consumer protection policies. While the law's scope would be limited to Europe, the hope is that its success would set a global precedent, influencing industry practices worldwide.

The petition, launched in August 2024, has already garnered significant support, exceeding 183,000 signatures. The organizers have a year to reach their ambitious target.

Holding Publishers Accountable

The core issue revolves around the loss of player investment when online-only games are shut down. The Crew's closure, impacting 12 million players, exemplifies this problem. Further highlighting the issue, games like SYNCED and NEXON's Warhaven have already met similar fates in 2024.

Scott describes server shutdowns as "planned obsolescence," comparing it to the historical practice of studios destroying silent films to reclaim silver. The petition doesn't demand endless support or source code release but simply requires games to remain playable at the time of shutdown. This applies even to free-to-play games with microtransactions, ensuring purchased items remain accessible. The initiative cites Knockout City's successful transition to a free-to-play model with private server support as a positive example.

The petition explicitly states it will not require:

• Surrender of intellectual property rights
• Release of source code
• Endless support
• Continued server hosting
• Assumption of liability for player actions

A Call to Action

To support the "Stop Killing Games" initiative, visit their website and sign the petition. While only one signature per person is allowed, country-specific instructions are available to ensure signature validity. Even non-European gamers are encouraged to spread awareness, aiming to create a ripple effect across the gaming industry.