Recent years have been hard for video games and those who play them, the gamers. Corporations have long sought control over their games and the enforcement of malpractices. With games being sold as licenses to gamers temporarily, this alarming trend of companies shutting down video games after ending support. Not being able to play a game because the servers were shut down has frustrated gamers worldwide, who have united behind the Stop Killing Games Petition.
With over 900,000 Signatures and counting, the petition is picking up pace, and this is your chance to pitch in and save video games.
What is Stop Killing Games Petition
Started by Ross Scott (Accursed Farms/Twitch) in 2024, Stop Killing Games Movement is solely for video game preservation. And rightfully giving the ownership of a game to their buyers. Once a transaction has been made, the game or software should rightfully come under the ownership of its buyer. Regardless of the company ending support abruptly.
Meaning: Gamers should have access to and play the game normally in a single-player environment, even if the servers are shut down. Or still have access to download the game if it is delisted from digital storefronts.
A live example of this same situation happened in 2024, when Ubisoft shut down the servers for The Crew (2014). Making the game unplayable for those who paid for it. A similar attempt was made by Sony when they planned to shut down their PS3 and PS Vita stores, rendering user digital game purchases useless. While Sony went back and reversed the decision, some companies don’t tend to trade like that.
RIP to Club Penguin, Transformers: Fall of Cybertron, The Crew 2014, Marvel Heroes, and so many more.
The Stop Killing Games petition is a direct challenge to publishers who push for rendering games unplayable after their end of support (Without any notice, refund, or answers). Currently, the petition stands at 900,000+ signatures, and counting.
But What Kills a Video Game?
Video Game Publishers have always been pushing the always online DRM for quite a while now. And companies like Ubisoft have been highly supportive of these license agreements rather than gamers’ ownership over their games forever. Video Games after 2015 have been bombarded with microtransactions, pay-to-win DLCs, currencies, and lootboxes. Rather than a story, fun gameplay, or memorable characters. But here are the true reasons how a Video game is killed.
Always Online DRM
- Many single-player or partially online games require a constant internet connection to validate ownership.
- For eg, The Crew had everything in it, an open world map, multiple cars, good racing, but in an online mode. Players had to be connected to the online servers to play the game.
- Even if you bought the game, if the servers are shut down or authentication stops, your game becomes unplayable.
Why Servers are Shut Down
When a company decides to cut costs or move on from development, it could also be low player counts or shifting focus on a new game. This is when they shut these servers down, instantly killing a video game.
Games like Battleborn, LawBreakers, or the original The Crew are now completely unplayable.
Delisting of Digital Titles
- Games often get removed from online stores due to Expired music or licenses (racing or sports games).
- Delisting also happens due to Publisher closures or disputes, or Shifts in focus to sequels or remasters.
- This means that new players can’t buy them at all, and sometimes even owners can’t re-download them if the platform policy changes.
But why do companies do this and Kill Video Games?
Well, to answer it simply, it’s done to save money and promote newer titles. For years now, Gamers vs Publishers + some developers have been going head to head for the revival of classic game mechanics. Being singleplayer options or to own* the game, this is where the Stop Killing Games petition comes into play
Why Stop Killing Games Matter and Why Every Gamer Needs to Pitch in Now
If you are a true gamer and care for the very games you play, then your signature matters more than anything right now. The movement started by Ross is picking up pace all over the world, with many YouTubers supporting it. The likes of Pewdiepie, The Act Man, and several other prominent personalities have also come out in support. This is your chance to pitch in and stop any further malpractice due to corporate greed.
The core goals of this movement are:
- Preservation of old and new video games
- Stopping publishers from pulling purchased games from players’ libraries.
- Pushing for offline or legacy modes before shutting down servers.
- Encourage real laws to protect digital purchases and consumer rights.
Note: This petition is in no way a blockade of publishers and video game developers, but a cry of people who love video games. Stop Killing Games stands for fairness and ownership. If a game is purchased, then it should remain playable till the player shuts down and not the servers.
Summary
The Stop Killing Games petition is currently set up for Europe and the United Kingdom. If you are a citizen, then you can sign it here. The UK signatures have surpassed 100,000, which makes it a topic of debate in the UK Parliament. While the European petition has surpassed 900,000+ signatures with a goal of a million signatures by the end of this month, i.e., July 31st.
This is your moment to step up and make a difference. For so many, video games aren’t just entertainment; they’re an escape, a comfort, a world of their own. Imagine if someone simply took that away.
Don’t let it happen. Join the fight to protect the games you love. Visit Driffle Blogs for the latest gaming news, guides & reviews, and as always, leave your thoughts below.
