EU Law Proposed by Petition With 1 Million Signatures for MMO Preservation

European Gamers Launch Petition to Save Online Games from Server Shutdowns

A significant movement is underway in Europe to protect players' investments in online games. Following Ubisoft's controversial shutdown of The Crew, a citizen's initiative, "Stop Killing Games," is striving to garner one million signatures to propose a new EU law. This law aims to prevent game publishers from rendering games unplayable after ending official support.

The campaign, spearheaded by Ross Scott, seeks to hold publishers accountable for server closures that effectively erase players' in-game purchases and countless hours of gameplay. Scott highlights the issue as a form of "planned obsolescence," drawing parallels to the lost films of the silent era. The proposed legislation wouldn't mandate continued server hosting or the relinquishing of intellectual property, but would simply require games to remain playable at the time of official shutdown. This includes free-to-play games with microtransactions, ensuring purchased items remain accessible.

The initiative, launched in August 2024, has already surpassed 183,000 signatures, but requires one million within a year to be formally considered by the EU. While the impact would initially be limited to Europe, Scott hopes it will set a global precedent, influencing industry practices worldwide.

The petition explicitly states that it will not require:

• Relinquishing intellectual property rights
• Release of source code
• Perpetual support
• Server hosting by publishers
• Publisher liability for player actions

The success of this initiative hinges on reaching the one-million signature goal. While only EU citizens of voting age can sign, Scott encourages global support through awareness and sharing the petition. The "Stop Killing Games" website provides detailed instructions and resources to ensure valid signatures.

The campaign cites examples like Knockout City, which transitioned to a free-to-play model with private server support after its shutdown, as a potential model for future game preservation. The ultimate aim is to prevent future instances of publishers essentially deleting games and leaving players with nothing but the memory of their investment.

Visit the "Stop Killing Games" website to learn more and sign the petition. Remember, only one signature per person is allowed.