Video Games Europe Rejects the "Stop Killing Games" Movement
Video Games Europe, the gaming industry association in Europe, recently expressed its disagreement with the Stop Killing Games movement, right after the movement qualified as a European Union Citizens' Initiative.
Why Do They Reject It? Market Needs and Operational Costs, They emphasize that cutting off support for online services is not a light decision but involves considering commercial viability. If a service is no longer profitable, companies must have the option to stop, and players will be given appropriate notification according to local consumer protection regulations.
Legal & Security Risks, Private or fan-made server solutions are not always safe or legal. Without strict regulations concerning data, illegal content, and moderation, publishers could face legal risks.
Technological & Game Design Limitations, Many games are designed as online-only, and forcing publishers to provide offline modes or private servers would significantly increase development costs.
The Stop Killing Games Movement
The Stop Killing Games movement, initiated by Ross Scott after gamers could no longer play Ubisoft's The Crew, aims for publishers to provide continuous access for players even after server services are discontinued. They view such shutdowns as a form of planned obsolescence, where consumers lose access to products they have already paid for.
They demand that when a game is discontinued, publishers:
- Provide an offline mode, or Release tools/source code so the community can run their own servers.
The Stop Killing Games movement has gathered over 1 million signatures and aims for the European Commission to consider new regulations.
However, implementation only applies within the EU (and possibly the UK), so publishers remain free to shut down services globally.
Who Are the Members of Video Games Europe?
This group is a major industry association that includes many big names like Activision Blizzard, EA, Epic Games, Ubisoft, Microsoft, Nintendo, and others, meaning it represents publishers with significant resources.
Video Games Europe believes regulations from the Stop Killing Games movement could remove business decision flexibility, increase legal risks, and raise development costs.
Meanwhile, consumer advocates push the right for paid games not to suddenly disappear, whether through official offline modes or tools so the community can maintain their own servers.
So far, the movement has gathered significant support but will be difficult to apply globally without legal backing outside the EU. Meanwhile, major publishers reject this change because it is seen as restricting options and burdening the industry.