Petition to ban making multiplayer games unplayable could become law in Europe

Modern gaming faces the issue of favorite games becoming unplayable due to server shutdowns or lack of online support. A new petition is calling for laws to prevent this, ensuring that games remain playable even after official support ends.

In recent times, numerous games have become unplayable due to online requirements or being solely multiplayer. Ross Scott, a popular YouTuber and games preservation advocate, is leading an initiative to address this issue.

Scott, known for the web series “Freeman’s Mind,” is spearheading a European Union petition aiming for 1 million signatures to push for laws banning practices by game developers or publishers that render games unplayable.

If the petition becomes law, it would require video games to be in a functional state at the time of shutdown, prohibit mandatory connections to publishers post-support, and extend these regulations to games with microtransactions.

The initiative aims to protect consumers by ensuring that games remain playable in some form even after official support ends. It also advocates for fans to host their own servers for online multiplayer games that are taken offline.

Free-to-play games with microtransactions would also be covered, allowing players to retain access to purchased content indefinitely. This move seeks to address concerns about ownership and access to digital products.

Scott’s campaign, “Stop Killing Games,” is part of his efforts to preserve gaming experiences and hold publishers accountable for their practices. The petition, though facing challenges, underscores the importance of consumer rights and media preservation.

The initiative has a year to gather a million signatures, with the goal of prompting authorities to address the issue of games becoming unplayable post-support. While its passage is not guaranteed, it presents an opportunity for lawmakers to protect consumers’ ownership rights.