Obsessed, addicted or just a geek

In an age where digital convenience is king, the gaming industry is quietly erasing its own history. Games you paid for, games you own, can vanish overnight. No refunds. No recourse. No preservation.

That’s why over 900,000 people have signed the Stop Killing Games petition as of 3 July 2025, and why this movement matters far beyond gaming.

Deadline: 31 July 2025

• EU Petition: Sign here
• UK Petition: Sign here
• Current Signatures:

• EU: 900,000+
• UK: Over 100,000
  (Targets: 1 million for EU, 100,000 for UK)

Why This Started: The Crew and the Final Straw

The movement began in April 2024, when Ubisoft shut down The Crew, a racing game with over 12 million copies sold. Despite offering a single-player experience, the game was rendered completely unplayable due to its always-online requirement. Players who paid full price were left with nothing more than a dead icon.

This wasn’t an isolated case. It was the latest in a string of shutdowns that included Rumbleverse, Knockout City, and Crime Boss: Rockay City, games removed from access without proper preservation or refund.

The Digital Trap: Why Going All-Digital Is Dangerous

Digital distribution promised convenience. But it came with a trade-off: you don’t truly own what you buy. Publishers can:

• Revoke access without notice
• Shut down crucial servers
• Delist games from storefronts without accountability

This is planned obsolescence, and it’s damaging to consumers and preservation alike. The Video Game History Foundation estimates that 87% of pre-2010 games are now lost to time and licensing restrictions.

Pirate Software’s Misunderstanding, and the Unintended Boost

In August 2024, streamer-developer Pirate Software released a video mischaracterising the movement, suggesting it threatened live-service games and was too vague. The backlash was swift.

Campaign founder Ross Scott (Accursed Farms) clarified:

“We don’t make a distinction between single-player or multiplayer. The law doesn’t either. It’s about requiring publishers to have end-of-life plans so customers aren’t left with nothing.”

Ironically, Pirate Software’s criticism brought massive attention to the cause. As creators like MoistCr1TiKaL, SomeOrdinaryGamers, and Accursed Farms stepped in to clarify the petition’s intent, it ignited renewed support and helped put the campaign in the spotlight.

Influencer Surge: The Final Boost

In June and July 2025, top-tier influencers joined the cause:

• PewDiePie publicly supported the petition, reigniting momentum
• Jacksepticeye, XQC, Asmongold, and others amplified the message
• Posts and streams referencing the petition generated tens of millions of impressions

Even those who initially ignored the campaign began paying attention, as the creator community closed ranks around the issue of ownership and long-term access.

Legal and Political Pressure Builds

• EU Commission is actively reviewing whether it’s legal to revoke access to paid digital goods without alternatives.
• MEP Patrick Breyer formally raised concerns in the European Parliament about consumer rights and the abuse of EULAs.
• In the UK, Parliament has acknowledged the petition but currently has no active plans to change the law, yet public pressure is growing.

If the EU petition hits 1 million signatures and meets the minimum thresholds in seven member countries, the Commission will be obliged to respond, and a hearing will follow, marking a historic moment in digital ownership rights.

Player Voices Speak Louder Than Numbers

“I paid £60 for The Crew. Now it’s gone. Not refunded. Not archived. Just deleted from existence. It’s theft, honestly.” — Anonymous Reddit user

“There is no legal reason these games have to die. Companies choose to kill them. That needs to end.” — Ross Scott, Accursed Farms

Games That Died Too Soon

• The Crew (Ubisoft) – 2024 shutdown, 12M+ players, 10-year legacy wiped
• Rumbleverse – 2023 shutdown, ~100K active players, gone in 6 months
• Knockout City – Shut down in 2023 after 2 years, 5M+ players
• Crime Boss: Rockay City – Removed in 2025, less than a year post-launch

No archival support. No alternate access. Just gone.

What Needs to Change

• Stop launching games before they’re finished
• Give titles time to breathe and build communities
• Preserve and archive delisted or dead games
• Legislate minimum lifespans or post-shutdown access
• Demand transparency from publishers about shutdown policies
• Recognise games as cultural works, not expendable services

Take Action Now

Have you lost access to a game you paid for?
Share your story using #StopKillingGames
Sign the petition → stopkillinggames.com

Final Thoughts: A Line in the Digital Sand

The Stop Killing Games campaign isn’t just a protest. It’s a line in the sand. A challenge to publishers who treat art as ephemera. A call to all of us, players, devs, and allies, to defend digital rights and long-term access.

Games are stories. They are memories. They are history. When publishers kill them for engagement charts, they erase more than code, they erase community.

Ownership should mean something. Preservation should be a priority. This is our moment to say: no more.

Let’s fight for a future where games live, not vanish

Until next time, stay sharp and keep gaming. Panda out.

• PushSquare – https://www.pushsquare.com
• Khel Now – https://khelnow.com
• MSN – https://www.msn.com
• Massively Overpowered – https://massivelyop.com
• Sportskeeda – https://www.sportskeeda.com
• Stop Killing Games – https://www.stopkillinggames.com
• UK Parliament – https://petition.parliament.uk
• LegalUnitedStates – https://legalunitedstates.com