Stop Killing Games: Ross Scott convinces the European Parliament, Commission begins analysis
The issue of preserving video games has entered the European institutional debate with force. The initiative Stop Killing Games, created to counteract the deactivation of titles after the end of official support, gained attention during a 45-minute hearing in the European Parliament, where significant issues for millions of users emerged.
During the meeting, Vice Chairman Nils Ušakovs highlighted how the phenomenon of video games rendered unusable after purchase represents a concrete issue for European citizens. This problem particularly affects titles tied to online services which, once interrupted by publishers, lose all functionality and accessibility.
In a hearing lasting 45 minutes (available below), project founder Ross Scott illustrated the concept of “destruction” of video games, referring to a practice that disables all copies – including those sold – of a game at the publisher's complete discretion. This highlighted a significant issue: those who purchase do not enjoy the availability of the product over time, but rather for an indefinite and undetermined duration prior to the purchase.
The discussion was opened by Daniel Ondruska, spokesperson for the ECI (European Citizens' Initiative), with whom we had the pleasure of chatting last year. You can read the full interview on our pages that summarizes the movement's demands, which deserves credit for bringing to the attention of all of Europe a problem that afflicts buyers (players or not) of video games.
"This behavior would be outrageous in other sectors. If you bought a book in a store, the publisher cannot come to your house and take it back at their convenience," Scott explained in Parliament. "If you buy an insurance policy, you will be informed of when it expires, not that the seller can cancel it at any time for any reason and still keep your money."
The central issue clearly revolves around dependency on online services, which makes the independent survival of many titles impossible. Recent cases like The Crew, Concord, Highguard, and Anthem show a growing trend. A particularly significant data point indicates that of 400 analyzed games, 93.5% were deactivated at the end of support.
Scott emphasized how this business model lacks transparency by the conscious will of publishers, as applying an expiration date would change the perceived value of that product and, consequently, the amount that the consumer would be willing to pay.
"Games sold in this way function similarly to scams. Publishers know that customers expect video games to last a long time, so they sell them the same way they sell those that can work forever, like a one-time purchase without an expiration date and at the same price. If publishers informed us when they intended to disable a game, this would obviously reduce sales of that game, as the longevity of a game influences how much customers are willing to pay."
From a regulatory standpoint, the European Commission has begun a preliminary analysis. Giuseppe Abbamonte, director and copyright specialist, confirmed that an in-depth analysis of current regulations is underway, with an update expected by July. The goal is to verify any legislative gaps and assess possible interventions.
Scott also emphasized that they are not asking for changes to the business model: titles tied to online modes can be managed in the same way. Simply, they are asking for greater transparency to avoid the total destruction of a video game or, at the very least, more clarity from publishers.
"This initiative welcomes any solution that can address the problem of large-scale destruction of video games. We want it to be as simple and practical as possible for all parties involved and are open to any means to achieve this goal. We are not even asking publishers to change their business or monetization models, but only that, once support is discontinued, they do so responsibly. Our sole aim is to prohibit this destructive practice and thus achieve fundamental protection for consumers and for the industry as a whole."
In summary, although still in a preliminary phase, the initiative has reached a fundamental stage: the involvement of international institutions.