European Gamers Launch Petition to Save Online Games from Server Shutdowns

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

The Campaign for Digital Purchase Preservation

The petition, spearheaded by Ross Scott, aims to hold publishers accountable for server shutdowns that leave players with worthless digital purchases. Scott is confident the initiative aligns with existing consumer protection policies and hopes its success in the EU will inspire global change, either through legislation or industry self-regulation.

The "Stop Killing Games" petition requires one million signatures from EU citizens of voting age within one year to trigger a formal legislative proposal. Launched in August 2024, it has already garnered significant support, exceeding 183,000 signatures.

The Impact of Server Closures

The closure of The Crew highlighted the issue, rendering 12 million players' investments obsolete. Numerous other games, including SYNCED and NEXON's Warhaven, have also met premature ends, emphasizing the urgency of the petition. Scott describes the practice as "planned obsolescence," comparing it to the loss of silent films due to silver reclamation.

The petition's proposed law would mandate that publishers maintain games in a playable state upon shutdown, leaving the specific method to the publishers' discretion. This applies to both paid and free-to-play games with microtransactions, ensuring that purchased items remain accessible. The initiative, however, does not seek to infringe on intellectual property rights, source code access, demand perpetual support, mandate server hosting, or hold publishers liable for player actions.

A Successful Precedent: Knockout City

The successful transition of Knockout City to a free-to-play standalone game with private server support serves as a positive example of how publishers can address this issue.

How to Support the Petition

To support the "Stop Killing Games" initiative, visit their website and sign the petition. Remember, each person can only sign once. Even non-Europeans can help by spreading awareness and promoting the campaign's goal of preventing further game closures.