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 player investments in online games.
European Gamers Unite to Save Online Games
One Million Signatures Needed to Stop Game Closures
A significant movement is underway across Europe to protect player investments in digital games. The "Stop Killing Games" petition urges the European Union to introduce legislation preventing publishers from shutting down online games and rendering purchases unplayable.
Campaign organizer Ross Scott is optimistic about the initiative's success, highlighting its alignment with existing consumer protection policies. While the proposed law would only apply within Europe, Scott hopes its impact on this major market will inspire global change through legislation or industry self-regulation.
The campaign faces a considerable hurdle: gathering one million signatures from across Europe within a year to officially submit a legislative proposal. Eligibility is simple: European citizens of voting age (age varies by country) can participate.
Launched in August, the petition has already secured over 183,593 signatures, leaving a substantial but achievable target for the remaining year.
Holding Publishers Accountable for Server Shutdowns
Ubisoft's decision to shut down The Crew's servers in March 2024, effectively wiping out the investment of 12 million players, sparked this initiative. 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, games like SYNCED and NEXON's Warhaven have already met the same fate.
Scott describes this practice as "planned obsolescence," comparing it to the historical practice of studios destroying silent films to reclaim silver. The petition aims to simply ensure games remain playable at the time of server shutdown. The initiative explicitly states that publishers should maintain the game's functionality, leaving the specific implementation method to the publishers themselves.
The petition extends its reach to free-to-play games with microtransactions, arguing that purchased in-game items should remain accessible even after server closure. The example of Knockout City, which transitioned to a free-to-play standalone version with private server support after shutdown, is cited as a potential model.
However, the initiative explicitly does not demand:
⚫︎ Surrender of intellectual property rights ⚫︎ Release of source code ⚫︎ Unlimited game support ⚫︎ Ongoing server hosting by publishers ⚫︎ Publisher liability for player actions
To support the "Stop Killing Games" campaign, visit their website and sign the petition (one signature per person). The website provides country-specific guidance to ensure signature validity. Even non-European players are encouraged to spread awareness of this initiative to create a broader industry impact.
