EU Law Proposed: One Million Signatures Sought for MMO Preservation

European Gamers Launch Petition to Save Online Games from Server Shutdowns

A European citizen's initiative, "Stop Killing Games," is gaining traction, aiming to protect players' investments in online games. The petition seeks to compel the European Union to legislate against game publishers shutting down servers and rendering games unplayable after ending support.

The initiative, spearheaded by Ross Scott, aims to prevent the loss of digital purchases and countless hours of gameplay. Scott is confident the initiative aligns with existing consumer protection policies and hopes its success in Europe will inspire global change, either through legislation or industry self-regulation.

The ambitious goal requires one million signatures from EU citizens of voting age within one year to trigger a formal legislative proposal. As of August, the petition has already garnered over 183,000 signatures.

Ubisoft's shutdown of The Crew in March 2024, impacting 12 million players, highlighted the urgency of the issue. This, along with other recent game closures like SYNCED and NEXON's Warhaven, underscores the growing problem of planned obsolescence in the gaming industry.

Scott describes server shutdowns as "a form of planned obsolescence," comparing it to the loss of silent films due to silver recovery practices. The petition doesn't demand ongoing support or source code release, but rather that games remain playable at the time of server shutdown. This applies even to free-to-play games with microtransactions, ensuring players aren't left with unusable purchases. The initiative clarifies that it does not require:

• Giving up intellectual property rights
• Releasing source code
• Providing endless support
• Hosting servers indefinitely
• Assuming liability for player actions

The successful example of Knockout City, which transitioned to a free-to-play standalone game with private server support after its shutdown, demonstrates a viable path.

To support the "Stop Killing Games" campaign, visit their website and sign the petition (one signature per person). Even non-Europeans can contribute by spreading awareness of the initiative and its potential impact on the gaming industry.