Urgent Action: MMO Preservation Needs One Million Signatures for Proposed EU Law

A European Citizen's Initiative Aims to Preserve Digital Game Purchases

Ubisoft's closure of The Crew ignited a European-wide petition demanding legislative protection against the termination of online multiplayer games. This "Stop Killing Games" initiative seeks to safeguard players' investments in digital purchases.

The petition, launched in August, aims to gather one million signatures within a year to compel the European Union to enact legislation preventing publishers from rendering games unplayable after ending support. Organizer Ross Scott is confident of success, highlighting the initiative's alignment with existing consumer protection policies. While the law's enforcement would be limited to Europe, Scott hopes its success will inspire global change through legal mandates or industry self-regulation.

The initiative directly addresses the issue of server shutdowns, which result in the irrevocable loss of significant player investment. The closure of titles like SYNCED and NEXON's Warhaven in 2024 underscores the urgency of the problem. Scott describes the practice as "planned obsolescence," comparing it to the historical loss of silent films due to silver reclamation. The petition advocates for maintaining games in a playable state at the time of shutdown, allowing players to continue enjoying their purchases.

The proposed law would mandate that publishers maintain the functionality of games sold within the EU, leaving the implementation method to the publishers' discretion. Crucially, this includes free-to-play games with microtransactions, ensuring that purchased in-game items remain accessible. However, the initiative explicitly does not demand the relinquishing of intellectual property rights, source code, indefinite support, server hosting, or liability for player actions.

The petition, accessible on the "Stop Killing Games" website, requires only one signature per person. While European citizenship and voting age are prerequisites for signing, non-European supporters are encouraged to spread awareness to create a wider industry impact. The campaign hopes to prevent future game closures and protect players' investments.