A consumer-rights campaign is urging game publishers to stop permanently shutting down online servers and establish clear end-of-life rules for games.
This movement seeks to protect the rights of consumers to access software they have purchased and prevent the permanent loss of digital art. Because many modern games require a connection to a central server to function, a publisher's decision to switch off those servers can render a game completely unplayable.
Founded by American YouTuber Ross Scott, the Stop Killing Games campaign launched in 2024. The initiative gathered nearly 1.3 million signatures [1] on a petition submitted to the European Commission in January 2024 [2]. This effort led to a public hearing in Brussels, where members of the European Parliament met with campaigners to discuss consumer protections.
The campaign has also found momentum in the U.S. In May 2026 [3], a bill focused on maintaining long-term playable access to online games cleared the Assembly appropriations committee in California [3]. Some reports identify this legislation as the "Protect Our Games Act" [4].
The goal of the legislation and the petition is to require publishers to leave games in a functional state when they cease support. This could involve releasing server software to the public, or providing a way for players to host their own servers, ensuring the product remains usable regardless of the company's financial status.
Campaigners argue that the current industry trend of "killing" games transforms a permanent purchase into a temporary service. By shifting the legal framework, the campaign aims to ensure that digital ownership remains a reality rather than a revocable license.
“The Stop Killing Games campaign launched in 2024.”
The progress of the Stop Killing Games campaign in both the European Union and California suggests a shifting legal interpretation of digital ownership. If these legislative efforts succeed, they could force the gaming industry to move away from the 'games-as-a-service' model toward a framework that mandates long-term preservation and consumer access, potentially setting a global precedent for all digital media.
