European Gamers Launch Petition to Preserve Digital Game Purchases

A European citizen's initiative, "Stop Killing Games," is urging the European Union to legislate against game publishers shutting down online games and rendering digital purchases unplayable. The petition, spearheaded by Ross Scott, aims to hold publishers accountable for server closures that effectively erase players' investments.

The Need for One Million Signatures

The initiative requires one million signatures from EU citizens of voting age within one year to be considered by the EU. As of August, the petition has already garnered significant support, exceeding 183,000 signatures. While a considerable number, a substantial effort remains to reach the one million target. Scott expresses confidence, highlighting the initiative's alignment with existing consumer protection policies and hopes that success in the EU will influence global industry standards.

The Impact of Server Shutdowns

Ubisoft's shutdown of The Crew in March 2024, impacting 12 million players, exemplifies the problem. The closure of online-only games like SYNCED and NEXON's Warhaven further underscores the issue of lost investments in digital purchases. Scott describes this practice as "planned obsolescence," comparing it to the historical loss of silent films due to silver recovery practices.

The "Stop Killing Games" initiative seeks to ensure games remain playable at the time of official shutdown, without requiring publishers to relinquish intellectual property rights, source code, or provide indefinite support. The petition explicitly states that publishers should maintain the game in a functional state, leaving the method of achieving this to the publishers themselves.

Accountability for Free-to-Play Games

The initiative also addresses free-to-play games with microtransactions, arguing that rendering the game unplayable after a purchase constitutes a loss of goods. The successful shutdown and subsequent free-to-play release of Knockout City with private server support is cited as a potential model.

What the Initiative Won't Require:

• Relinquishing intellectual property rights
• Handing over source code
• Providing endless support
• Maintaining servers indefinitely
• Assuming liability for player actions

Call to Action

The petition is available on the "Stop Killing Games" website. While only EU citizens can sign, Scott encourages global support by spreading awareness of the initiative to create a broader industry impact. The campaign aims to prevent future game closures and protect player investments in digital content.