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

Ubisoft's closure of The Crew ignited a European petition demanding legal protection for digital game purchases. This article explores the petition's goals and the fight to preserve player investments.

European Gamers Unite to Save Their Games

One Million Signatures Needed for EU Law Proposal: "Stop Killing Games"

A significant European gamer movement is underway, advocating for legislation to protect digital game purchases. The "Stop Killing Games" petition urges the European Union to prevent publishers from rendering games unplayable after ending support.

Campaign organizer Ross Scott is optimistic about the initiative's success, citing its alignment with existing consumer protection policies. While the proposed law's enforcement would be limited to Europe, Scott hopes its success in this major market will inspire global change, through either legislation or industry self-regulation.

The petition faces a significant hurdle: it needs one million signatures across various European countries within a 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 much work remains, the one-year timeframe offers a realistic chance of success.

Holding Publishers Accountable for Server Shutdowns

Ubisoft's sudden termination of online services for The Crew in March 2024, impacting 12 million players, highlighted the core issue. The loss of access to online-only games represents a significant loss of player investment. Even in the first half of 2024, games like SYNCED and NEXON's Warhaven met similar fates.

"It's planned obsolescence," Scott stated in a YouTube video. "Publishers are destroying games they've sold, keeping the money." He compared this to the silent film era's silver recovery practices, resulting in the permanent loss of countless films.

The initiative aims to mandate that publishers maintain game functionality at the time of shutdown. The petition specifies that publishers selling or licensing games (or related assets) within the EU must ensure continued playability. The implementation method is left to the publishers.

The petition also addresses free-to-play games with microtransactions, arguing that lost access to purchased items constitutes a loss of goods. Knockout City's successful transition to a free-to-play model with private server support serves as a positive example.

However, the initiative does not demand: relinquishing intellectual property rights, source code release, indefinite support, server hosting, or publisher liability for player actions.

Support the "Stop Killing Games" campaign by signing the petition on their website (one signature per person). Country-specific instructions are available to prevent invalid signatures. Even non-European residents can help by spreading awareness of this important initiative, aiming to create a positive impact on the gaming industry.