Update #2 []:
In a video update from Accursed Farms, the YouTuber behind the Stop Killing Games campaign, a few issues with the petition have been raised.
It turns out there are some errant and spoofed entries, which is bolstering the poll and will result in thousands of signatures being tossed out.
You can learn more through here:
The bottom line is that while the campaign has reached the one million signatures milestone, there’s still a long way to go. If you haven’t signed it yet, then consider doing so properly through the link.
Update #1 []: The Stop Killing Games campaign, which is fighting for a future where publishers are no longer able to disable full-price games at will, has surpassed one million signatures, meaning it will now be on the radar of the European Commission.
The petition has now entered an “overdrive” phase, which means it’s still encouraging signatures as it’s possible some existing ones may be thrown out as invalid. It’s seeking 1.4 million signatures in total.
“If we can pass the signature threshold, there is a very strong chance that the European Commission will pass new law that will both protect consumer rights to retain video games that customers have purchased and advance preservation efforts massively,” the website reads.
Original Story: There have been a few instances recently of publishers rendering full-price games obsolete.
The Crew is perhaps the most famous example: a game designed to be played online, which had its servers shutdown in 2023.
This means if you own a copy of the release on Blu-ray, it’s utterly worthless these days, as you can’t play it at all.
Stop Killing Games has been appealing to local governments to put a stop to this practice, and the campaign is picking up pace ahead of its 31st July deadline.
At the time of writing, an impressive 822,211 have signed a petition appealing to the European Union to incorporate new legislation against the practice.
The UK government already discussed this issue in parliament, and concluded the following:
“There are no plans to amend UK consumer law on disabling video games. Those selling games must comply with existing requirements in consumer law and we will continue to monitor this issue.”
However, the appeal for Britain’s lawmakers to re-evaluate is continuing at pace, and the government may be forced to revisit this issue in the near future as a consequence.
PewDiePie, the legendary YouTuber, recently spoke out in support of the petition, giving it fresh enthusiasm over the past few days:
“In the comments, I’ve seen some of you mention ‘Stop Killing Games’ and I want to say: I 100% support this movement. It ties in perfectly with what I talked about in my video – ownership over software and the games we buy.”
If you want to support the campaign, you can learn much more about it on the official website through here. Remember, it costs nothing to sign the petitions and share them with friends, so please consider doing so if you value the ownership of your games.
