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

European Gamers Launch Petition to Save Online Games from Server Shutdowns

A European citizen's initiative, "Stop Killing Games," is striving to protect players' investments in online games by pushing for EU legislation. The petition, needing one million signatures within a year, aims to prevent publishers from shutting down servers and rendering games unplayable after ending support.

The initiative, spearheaded by Ross Scott, seeks to hold publishers accountable for server closures that effectively erase players' in-game purchases and countless hours of gameplay. The recent shutdown of Ubisoft's The Crew serves as a prime example, leaving 12 million players with nothing to show for their investment. Other games like SYNCED and NEXON’s Warhaven have also met similar fates in 2024.

Scott describes the practice as "planned obsolescence," comparing it to the lost films of the silent era. The petition advocates for a law mandating that publishers maintain the functionality of games sold within the EU at the time of server shutdown, leaving the method of achieving this to the publishers' discretion. This even extends to free-to-play games with microtransactions, ensuring players aren't left empty-handed after purchasing in-game items.

The initiative clarifies that it doesn't demand publishers relinquish intellectual property rights, source code, provide endless support, host servers indefinitely, or assume liability for player actions. The successful example of Knockout City, which transitioned to a free-to-play model with private server support after shutdown, demonstrates a potential solution.

The petition, launched in August 2024, has already garnered significant support, exceeding 183,593 signatures. While a long way from the one-million target, the campaign is confident it can achieve its goal. Even non-European gamers can contribute by spreading awareness of the initiative. Visit the "Stop Killing Games" website to sign the petition (one signature per person).