The Stop Killing Games Initiative: A Milestone in Video Game Preservation, But the Battle Persists

• The Stop Killing Games initiative has surpassed 1 million signatures, advocating for video game preservation laws in the EU. Triggered by Ubisoft’s The Crew shutdown, this consumer movement fights for digital ownership in the gaming industry.
• Here’s what you can do! Prerecorded actions for game planets maintenance and why this is important to regard gamers of the UK and worldwide.

In March 2024, Ubisoft shut down The Crew, a 2014 racing game loved by millions. Players who spent hours racing, customising cars, and exploring its open world found their purchases unplayable. Servers went offline, licenses were revoked, and a $60 game vanished. This wasn’t an isolated incident but a symptom of a broader issue in the gaming industry: publishers can erase digital purchases at will.

The Stop Killing Games campaign was born from this; it is headed by YouTuber Ross Scott of Accursed Farms. The campaign wants laws to keep games in a state of being playable after the cessation of publisher support, such as through offline modes or private servers. It hit a major milestone with over a million signatures to go toward a European Citizens’ Initiative this July 2025. However, this is only the beginning of the fight for preservation in video games.

What does this mean for the world of gaming? How do gamers keep their purchases alive? This article dissects the initiative, what it does, and how you can help.

What does this mean for the gaming industry? How can gamers ensure their purchases endure? This article breaks down the initiative, its impact, and practical steps to support it.

Defining Stop Killing Games

The Stop Killing Games initiative seeks to protect video games from obsolescence. It began in April 2024 after Ubisoft delisted The Crew from digital stores and shut its servers, rendering it unplayable, even in single-player mode. Alongside the official launch of Ross Scott’s campaign for legislation requiring end-of-life solutions by publishers, below are some of the solutions considered end-of-life, such as locking in offline modes, providing private server options, or releasing the code as open source.

The initiative has gained global traction:

• EU Milestone: the extent of a million signatures in an initiative by the European Citizens’ Initiative was hit on 3 July 2025, thus the Commission was put under review. 

• UK Progress: A UK petition exceeded 126,066 signatures, then good enough to be considered by the Parliament.

• Worldwide Effect: If the movement succeeds in the EU-UK, it will set a precedence for the industry across the globe.

This movement is not simply for The Crew. It is for the preservation of video game culture and consumer rights in the digital age.

The Cost of Game Shutdowns

To have a game should mean to hold ownership over it. Most times, digital purchases grant only a license, under the influence of publishers. Games like The Crew cease to exist in a functional manner, for these are shut down through servers. Investors are encouraging these developments, such as always-online and must-have-service models are at the cutting edge nowadays.

Consider these examples:

• The Crew (2014): Sold 2.5 million copies by 2016, per Ubisoft, but became unplayable in 2024.
• Friday the 13th (2017): Shut down in 2023 due to licensing issues and server costs.
• Call of Duty: Warzone (2020): The original version was replaced by a sequel, leaving early players without access.

Data highlights the scale:

• Lost Games: A study from the Video Game History Foundation in 2023 found that nearly 87% of the games released before 2010 are no longer available commercially.
• Market Impact: UK gamers spent £4.66 billion on digital games in 2024, per Statista, much of it vulnerable to shutdowns.
• Consumer Loss: Players of The Crew lost access to a game that grossed over $150 million in sales.

Why are publishers allowed to erase paid products? What does this mean for the future of gaming?

The Milestone: 1 Million Signatures

Stop Killing Games has managed to garner a million signatures for its EU petition on July 3, 2025, just barely meeting the July 31 deadline. This means that the European Commission is bound to consider the proposed laws for the preservation of video games.

Challenges remain ahead. According to Ross Scott, some 20-40% of all signatures could be considered invalid because of either errors or spoofing. At this point, the team working on the initiative aims for 1.4 million signatures for safety, currently standing at 1.07 million as of July 7, 2025.

The UK petition got 126,066+ signatures, clearing for being debated in Parliament. This dual progress reflects the rising demand for change in the gaming industry.

Industry Resistance

The Stop Killing Games initiative faces opposition. Video Games Europe, a trade group for publishers and developers, argues it could:

• Increase costs for developing online games.
• Raise cybersecurity risks from fan-run servers.
• Restrict developer control over game lifecycles.

Game developer Jason “Thor” Hall, creator of Heartbound, also criticised the campaign, claiming it overlooks industry complexities. His stance drew pushback from gamers who view it as siding with publishers over consumers.

Despite this, support is robust. Influencers like Cr1TiKaL, xQc, PewDiePie, and consumer rights advocate Louis Rossmann have amplified the campaign, helping it surpass its signature goals.

The Case for Video Game Preservation

Video games are cultural artefacts, like films or literature. Losing them erases history. Stop Killing Games advocates for solutions to keep games alive:

• Offline Modes: Enable single-player play without server reliance.
• Private Servers: Allow players to host multiplayer servers.
• Open-Source Code: Release game code for community support, as EA did with Command & Conquer.

Imagine World of Warcraft shutting down. Millions of players could lose a game they’ve played for decades. Offline modes or private servers could save it.

Preservation also safeguards consumer investments. A £50 game should remain playable years later, not vanish due to publisher decisions.

Practical Steps to Advance Video Game Preservation

The Stop Killing Games initiative offers clear ways to act:

• Sign Petitions: EU citizens can sign the European Citizens’ Initiative at stopkillinggames.com. Accurate details are critical to avoid invalidation.
• Spread Awareness: Share the campaign on platforms like X or gaming forums to reach more gamers.
• Engage Publishers: Contact companies like Ubisoft or Sony to demand offline modes or server solutions.
• Support Archiving Efforts: Contribute to organisations like the Video Game History Foundation, which preserves gaming history.

For example, player backlash led Ubisoft to promise offline modes for The Crew 2 and The Crew Motorfest. Collective action drives change.

Global Ripple Effects

Success in the EU or UK could transform the gaming industry globally. If laws mandate end-of-life plans, publishers may adopt them worldwide to standardise operations.

Picture a future where games purchased in London, Tokyo, or New York are protected from shutdowns. Stop Killing Games aims to make this a reality. What would such a future mean for gamers?

Challenges on the Horizon

There are some impediments the initiative faces:

• Signature Validation: According to Ross Scott, 40% of signatures may be invalid due to improper or forged signatures.
• Industry Pushback: Some groups, such as Video Games Europe, maintain that preservation laws prevent innovation.
• Legal Hurdles: Offline modes and private servers come to the forefront of cybersecurity and licensing concerns.

Despite these impediments, the campaign gathers nice momentum from the gaming community and influencers.

Digital Ownership at Stake

The Stop Killing Games initiative pinpoints a bigger issue: digital ownership. Physical games are owned forever; digital ones are licensed and can be taken away from you by the decision of the publisher. This problem is present in other avenues, like e-books, music, and movies.  

Consumer rights are at the core of the war in the gaming industry. Stop Killing Games challenges this situation to demand accountability. What comes if this fight is lost?

Shaping the Gaming Industry

Gamers can add to the industry’s influence: 

• Demand Clarity: People who do not want to purchase games without seeing the license terms require publishers to disclose terms before purchase.
• Support Indie Developers: Most of them shun always-online models, thereby lessening shutdown risk.
• Share Experiences: Discuss lost games on platforms like X to build awareness.

The Crew backlash forced Ubisoft to act. Similar pressure can drive broader change.

A Vision for Video Game Preservation

The Stop Killing Games initiative envisions a future where games are preserved like cultural artefacts:

• Offline modes for all single-player games.
• Player-server-hosted titles for multiplayer. 
• Open-source releases to keep games alive, such as Command & Conquer.

This future hinges on implementation: The EU petition needs valid signatures by 31 July 2025; the UK petition seeks vocal support for Parliamentary debate.

How will the game industry be ten years from now? Will these games be kept or lost?

Moving Forward

Though the Stop Killing Games Movement has met a crossroads, challenges in game preservation still exist. Signing petitions and pressuring publishers into working on preservation are all the good work that keeps the cause going.

Go to stopkillinggames.com and take a stand. The deadline is July 31, 2025. Don’t wait another moment to think about the future of gaming.