The gaming industry is facing a growing consumer rights movement, led by passionate gamers and advocates like Ross Scott, who are fighting to change the way publishers handle the shutdown of online games. This movement, known as Stop Killing Games, has gained significant traction and is now making its way into the halls of power, with petitions reaching the European Commission and sparking debates in parliaments.
The Fight for Ownership
At the heart of this campaign is the question of ownership. When gamers purchase a game, especially an online-only title, they often find themselves at the mercy of the publisher's decisions. Publishers can, and do, shut down servers, rendering games unplayable and effectively destroying the creative works that gamers have invested their time and money in. This practice has left many players feeling betrayed and frustrated, especially when they have formed emotional connections with these games.
A Personal Battle
Take, for instance, the story of Chemicalflood, a player who had been enjoying The Crew for nearly a decade. The game had become a special part of his life, offering an escape from hardship and a shared experience with his children. The sudden shutdown of the game's servers felt like a personal loss, not just a technical issue. This is a sentiment echoed by many gamers, who feel a deep connection to the virtual worlds they explore and the communities they build within these games.
The Campaign's Origins
Ross Scott, also known as Accursed Farms online, was inspired to start the Stop Killing Games campaign after Ubisoft's announcement to shut down The Crew. Scott, who had been creating content around the issue of game ownership for years, saw this as a pivotal moment. He named the campaign Stop Killing Games, a powerful statement against the practice of disabling games worldwide, leaving players with no way to access their purchased content.
Industry Pushback
The gaming industry has responded to this campaign with resistance. Some publishers argue that keeping servers running for older games can be prohibitively expensive, especially for live-service games that rely on constant updates and community engagement. However, Scott and his fellow campaigners propose a more responsible approach, suggesting that publishers should consider end-of-life plans for games, such as updating them to work offline or providing software that allows players to continue running the game independently.
The Broader Impact
This issue has become increasingly prominent as the industry shifts towards live-service games, which are heavily dependent on online interaction and communities. As successful games like Fortnite and Call of Duty dominate the market, smaller games often struggle to sustain their player bases, leading to server shutdowns and the demise of these digital communities. Joost van Dreunen, a professor of games business, highlights this challenge, noting that games are more like digital communities than consumable experiences.
The Campaign's Reach
Stop Killing Games has expanded its reach, with a dedicated team advocating for change. The campaign has submitted a petition with over 1.3 million signatures to the European Commission, triggering a public hearing in the European Parliament. Additionally, legal action has been launched in France against Ubisoft, arguing that players were misled about the permanence of their purchases. Meanwhile, in the US, campaigners are backing California's proposed Protect Our Games Act, which would require publishers to keep games playable or offer refunds after online support ends.
A Long Road Ahead
While the journey has been exhausting for Scott and his team, the debate sparked by their campaign shows no signs of fading. The issue of game ownership and the rights of consumers in the digital age is a complex and multifaceted one, and it will likely take time and continued advocacy to bring about meaningful change. As we wait for the outcomes of these legal and political battles, one thing is clear: the gaming community is demanding a more respectful and sustainable approach to the games they love.
