The largest lobby representing video game publishers and developers, Video Games Europe, has spoken out against the “Stop Killing Games” initiative. This initiative advocates for a legal prohibition on the practice of shutting down games that users have already purchased. The lobby`s statement was published on their official website, and the group includes major companies such as Ubisoft, Electronic Arts, Microsoft, Square Enix, Warner Bros. Games, Activision, and many others.
Representatives from Video Games Europe stated that the decision to disable access to the online components of games “is never taken lightly.” They primarily attribute such decisions to financial considerations, claiming it becomes unprofitable for companies to continue supporting these services. The companies further argue that allowing players to create private lobbies and custom servers would prevent developers from effectively monitoring for cheaters, illegal content, and user data. For games not designed with an offline mode, the initiative, they contend, would lead to even higher prices for titles due to increased development complexity.
The “Stop Killing Games” campaign was launched by author and video blogger Ross Scott. The initiative`s goal is to achieve the introduction of new laws in the European Union that would prevent publishers from revoking access to games that users have already paid for. A petition supporting the campaign had gathered nearly 1.2 million signatures by early July. Its organizers are also urging citizens in other countries to pursue similar initiatives to establish new industry standards globally.
Finley Holt