EU Law Change Proposed: 1 Million Signatures for MMO Preservation

Ubisoft's shutdown of The Crew ignited a European petition to protect online multiplayer games from similar fates. This article details the petition and its fight to safeguard digital purchases.

European Gamers Unite to “Stop Killing Games”

A significant European gamer movement is underway, focused on preserving digital game ownership. The "Stop Killing Games" petition urges the European Union to implement legislation preventing publishers from making games unplayable after ending support.

Campaign 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 self-regulation.

The challenge is significant. The petition needs one million signatures across various European countries within one year to trigger a formal legislative proposal. 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 considerable goal remains, the one-year timeframe offers a realistic chance of success.

Holding Publishers Accountable for Server Shutdowns

Ubisoft's sudden termination of The Crew's online services in March 2024, impacting 12 million players, fueled this initiative. The loss highlights the devastating impact of server shutdowns on significant player investments. Even in the first half of 2024 alone, games like SYNCED and NEXON's Warhaven met similar fates.

"It's a form of planned obsolescence," Scott explains in a YouTube video. "Publishers are destroying games they've already sold, but keeping your money." He draws a parallel to the silent film era, where film studios destroyed films to reclaim silver content, resulting in the permanent loss of many films.

The petition only requests that games remain playable at the time of shutdown. The initiative explicitly states that the proposed law would mandate "publishers that sell or license video games to consumers in the European Union…to leave said videogames in a functional (playable) state." The specific implementation method would be left to the publishers.

The initiative extends to free-to-play games with microtransactions. Scott clarifies that if purchased microtransactions become inaccessible due to a game shutdown, it constitutes a loss of purchased goods.

The successful example of Knockout City, shut down in June 2023 but later released as a free-to-play standalone game with private server support, demonstrates a potential solution.

However, the initiative does not demand:

• Relinquishing intellectual property rights
• Release of source code
• Perpetual support
• Continued server hosting
• Publisher liability for player actions

Sign the "Stop Killing Games" petition on their website to support the campaign. Note that only one signature per person is allowed; invalid signatures result from multiple attempts. Country-specific instructions are available on the website.

Even non-Europeans can contribute by spreading awareness, aiming to create a "ripple effect" across the gaming industry to prevent future game closures.