MMO Game Preservation Efforts Require One Million Signatures to Propose EU Law

Ubisoft's shutdown of The Crew ignited a European petition demanding an end to similar closures of multiplayer games. This movement aims to protect players' digital investments.

EU Gamers Fight to 'Stop Killing Games'

'Stop Killing Games' Petition: One Million Signatures Needed

A significant European gamer-led initiative, "Stop Killing Games," is pushing for EU legislation to prevent game publishers from making games unplayable after ending support. Organizer Ross Scott is confident of success, highlighting the initiative's alignment with existing consumer protection policies. While the proposed law would only apply within Europe, Scott hopes its success in this major market will inspire global change, either through similar legislation or industry-wide adoption of better practices.

The campaign faces a considerable hurdle: gathering one million signatures across various European countries within one year to formally submit a legislative proposal through the European Citizen’s Initiative process. Eligibility is simple: European citizens of voting age (age varies by country).

Launched in early August, the petition already boasts 183,593 signatures. While a long way from the million-signature goal, the campaign has a full year to reach its target.

Holding Publishers Accountable for Server Shutdowns

Ubisoft's sudden termination of The Crew's online services in March 2024, impacting 12 million players, highlighted the core issue. The closure effectively erased substantial player investment.

The premature shutdown of online-only games, like SYNCED and NEXON's Warhaven in 2024, underscores the problem. Countless hours of gameplay and in-game purchases are lost when servers are shut down.

"It’s a form of planned obsolescence," Scott explains in his YouTube video. "Publishers are destroying games they’ve already sold, but keeping your money." He draws a parallel to the silent film era's loss of films due to silver reclamation.

The initiative's goal is simple: to ensure games remain playable at the time of shutdown. The proposed law mandates that publishers "leave said videogames in a functional (playable) state," leaving the how to the publishers.

The initiative extends to free-to-play games with microtransactions; Scott argues that lost access to purchased in-game items constitutes a loss of goods. The success of Knockout City's transition to a free-to-play model with private server support demonstrates a viable alternative.

However, the initiative doesn't demand:

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

To support the campaign, sign the "Stop Killing Games" petition (one signature per person). Country-specific instructions are available on the website to prevent invalid signatures. Even non-Europeans can help by spreading awareness; the aim is to create a ripple effect across the gaming industry to prevent future game closures.