Gamers Fight to Save Online Games
Thursday, 2026/06/11145 words2 minutes1271 reads
When video game publishers shut down online servers, games often become completely unplayable. This practice has sparked a growing consumer rights movement called Stop Killing Games, founded by American YouTuber Ross Scott in 2024.
The campaign began after Ubisoft announced it would discontinue The Crew, an online racing game with over 12 million players. For longtime fans like Chemicalflood, who played for nearly a decade, the shutdown felt like losing something valuable. "It was a great escape from hardship," he explained.
The campaign collected nearly 1.3 million signatures and submitted a petition to the European Commission. Scott argues that publishers should provide "end-of-life plans" - such as offline updates or player-run servers - rather than completely destroying games. The European Parliament held a public hearing in April, and the Commission must respond by July 27th. Meanwhile, similar efforts are underway in California and the UK.
