- A petition has been filed to the UK government, asking publishers to stop killing games.
- It argues that shutting such games down is effectively robbery.
- The petition has already reached 5K signatures and will be looked at by the government once it reaches 10K signatures.
Gamers worldwide often feel cheated when games they’ve invested in are discontinued due to underperformance, a shift in focus to newer installments, or other issues by developers and publishers.
It appears that players in the UK have reached a breaking point and have recently launched a petition to the UK Government to prevent publishers from shutting down games that were sold in a functional state.
Why it matters: Publishers often discontinue games when they perceive little value in maintaining them online. They tend to prioritize other projects over sustaining something they no longer consider highly valuable.
As of now, the petition has just over 5,000 signatures. Given the current pace, it’s likely to reach 10,000 signatures in a relatively short period.
If the petition garners 10,000 signatures, it will capture the attention of the UK government, prompting a response. However, if it reaches 100,000 signatures, it may even be considered for debate in Parliament.
The petition emphasizes that publishers should be obligated to leave games they have sold to customers in a reasonably functional state when support ends. This ensures that no further intervention is necessary for the game to operate correctly, preserving it as a “statutory customer right.”
The petition argues that shutting down video games amounts to “effectively robbing customers” because they lose access to the purchases they’ve made in the game with no recourse.
Communities of games that have lost support from developers and publishers often band together to create their own servers, preserving the legacy of the title. However, these community-run servers often encounter numerous issues stemming from their lack of resources.
In this situation, both providers and consumers have valid concerns. However, there’s a shared belief that a game should, at the very least, be playable offline once its support and servers are fully shut down.
The gaming industry’s increasing emphasis on digital media has also sparked concern because many argue that consumers don’t truly own digital content. A recent example of this is Ubisoft’s decision to remove The Crew from players’ libraries.
Nevertheless, we are looking forward to what the UK government has to say about this issue.
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