European Gamers Launch Petition to Save Online Games from Server Shutdowns

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

A European citizen's initiative, "Stop Killing Games," is demanding EU legislation to protect players' digital investments in online games. The petition, spurred by Ubisoft's shutdown of The Crew, aims to prevent publishers from rendering games unplayable after ending support.

The Fight for Digital Ownership

The petition, spearheaded by Ross Scott, seeks to hold publishers accountable for server shutdowns that erase players' significant time and monetary investments. Scott highlights the issue as a form of planned obsolescence, comparing it to the loss of silent films due to silver recovery practices. The initiative has already garnered 183,593 signatures since its August launch, but needs one million signatures within a year to be considered by the EU.

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

The proposed law would mandate that publishers maintain the functionality of games sold within the EU, even after ending official support. This doesn't require publishers to relinquish intellectual property, source code, provide endless support, host servers indefinitely, or assume liability for player actions. The initiative even extends to free-to-play games with microtransactions, ensuring players aren't left with unusable purchases.

The Knockout City Precedent

The success of Knockout City's transition to a free-to-play model with private server support serves as a positive example. This demonstrates that maintaining game accessibility after server shutdown is achievable.

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

Call to Action

The "Stop Killing Games" campaign urges European citizens of voting age to sign the petition. While only one signature per person is allowed, the campaign encourages global support by spreading awareness. The ultimate goal is to influence the gaming industry and prevent future game closures.

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