Preserving MMO Games: Petition Gathers Signatures for EU Law

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

European Gamers Unite to Save Their Games

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

A significant movement is underway within the European gaming community. The "Stop Killing Games" petition urges the European Union to implement legislation preventing publishers from making games unplayable after ending official support.

Campaign organizer Ross Scott is optimistic about success, citing alignment with existing consumer protection policies. While the proposed law's enforcement would be limited to Europe, Scott hopes its impact on this major market will inspire global change, either through similar legislation or industry-wide adoption of better practices.

The campaign faces a steep challenge: securing one million signatures across various European countries within a year to trigger the EU legislative process. Eligibility is simple: any European citizen of voting age (age varies by country) can sign.

Launched in early August, the petition already boasts 183,593 signatures, demonstrating significant early momentum. The year-long timeframe offers a realistic chance to achieve the necessary support.

Holding Publishers Accountable for Server Shutdowns

Ubisoft's decision to shut down The Crew's servers in March 2024, effectively rendering the investment of 12 million players obsolete, serves as a prime example of the problem.

The loss of access to online-only games represents a significant loss of time and money for players. Even in the first half of 2024 alone, SYNCED and NEXON's Warhaven have met similar fates, leaving players with nothing to show for their purchases.

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

The initiative's goal is simple: maintain game functionality at the time of server shutdown. The petition specifically states that publishers should be required "to leave said videogames in a functional (playable) state" upon ending support. The method of achieving this is left to the publishers' discretion.

The petition even addresses free-to-play games with microtransactions, arguing that purchased items should remain accessible even after server closure. The successful example of Knockout City, which transitioned to a free-to-play standalone game with private server support after shutdown, is cited as a viable model.

The petition does not seek to:

⚫︎ Force publishers to relinquish intellectual property rights ⚫︎ Force publishers to release source code ⚫︎ Mandate perpetual game support ⚫︎ Force publishers to host servers indefinitely ⚫︎ Hold publishers liable for player actions

To support the campaign, visit the "Stop Killing Games" website and sign the petition (one signature per person). Country-specific instructions are available on the website to ensure signature validity.

Even non-European gamers can contribute by spreading awareness. The ultimate goal is to create a widespread industry shift to prevent future game closures and protect player investments.