Hey folks, it’s Dan The Price Man. Gaming isn’t a hobby for me it’s a proving ground where I’ve built resilience, strategy, and community.

As your future politician, I’m throwing my full support behind this initiative, even from outside the EU, because it’s a fight for what’s right: protecting what we buy, preserving what we create, and holding companies accountable.

Publishers hold the power to shut down online servers, rendering games unplayable and erasing the investments of millions of players worldwide.

The “Stop Killing Games” initiative, a consumer-driven movement originating in the European Union, is challenging this practice with a ferocity that’s impossible to ignore.

With over 1.4 million signatures collected by July 21, 2025, this European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) is on track to compel the European Commission to consider legislation by its July 31, 2025, deadline.

This isn’t just about saving a few titles—it’s a battle for digital ownership, consumer rights, and the preservation of gaming as a cultural artifact. The implications stretch far beyond the EU, offering a blueprint for global reform that could redefine how we interact with digital goods.

Understanding the Stop Killing Games Initiative

The Stop Killing Games initiative is a structured response to the growing problem of game inaccessibility following server shutdowns.

Launched in April 2024 by YouTuber Ross Scott after Ubisoft’s termination of The Crew on March 31, 2024, it seeks to ensure that purchased games remain playable post-support.

By June 18, 2024, it was formalized as an ECI, a powerful EU mechanism allowing citizens to propose legislation if they gather one million signatures from at least seven member states within one year.

By July 21, 2025, it surpassed 1.4 million signatures across France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland, Sweden, and the Netherlands, with a deadline of July 31, 2025, to finalize counts.

This milestone, reported by Euronews on July 8, 2025, means the European Commission must now consider legislative action within six months, potentially reshaping how digital games are treated in the EU and beyond.

Core Objectives

The initiative outlines three primary goals:

1. Sustained Accessibility: Publishers must ensure games remain playable after official support ends, either through continued server operation, offline modes, or community-driven solutions like private servers.
   
2. Consumer Protection: Players who purchase a game should retain access to it, aligning with EU consumer law principles that emphasize the durability of goods.
   
3. Cultural Preservation: Games are recognized as cultural assets, akin to films or literature, deserving protection from obsolescence to preserve digital heritage for future generations.

Why It’s Gaining Traction

The initiative’s appeal lies in its clarity and urgency. A 2023 Video Game History Foundation report found that 87% of games released before 2010 are “critically endangered,” with server shutdowns a key culprit.

Post-2010 titles, increasingly reliant on cloud-based systems, face even higher risks—95% could be lost without intervention, per a 2025 Gamasutra analysis.

The initiative’s push for legal protections resonates with gamers who’ve lost beloved titles and policymakers who see digital goods as a growing consumer rights issue.

The Problem: Server Shutdowns and the Erosion of Digital Ownership

The core issue driving Stop Killing Games is the dependency of modern video games on online infrastructure.

Many titles, from massively multiplayer online games (MMOs) to single-player experiences, require server connections for multiplayer modes, leaderboards, or even basic functionality through digital rights management (DRM) checks.

When publishers discontinue these servers, players lose access, effectively nullifying their purchases. This practice challenges the fundamental concept of ownership in the digital age, where consumers are often buying licenses rather than tangible products.

A Historical Timeline of Game Shutdowns

The loss of games due to server shutdowns is not a new phenomenon but has escalated with the rise of live-service models. Below is a detailed timeline of notable shutdowns that illustrate the growing crisis:

Year	Game	Publisher	Impact
2003	Asheron’s Call	Turbine	Early MMO, ended after 14 years, leaving 50,000+ players without access.
2009	The Matrix Online	Warner Bros.	Cult cyberpunk MMO, shut down, erasing a unique virtual world.
2011	Star Wars Galaxies	LucasArts	Sandbox MMO with 300,000+ peak players, terminated, sparking fan servers.
2012	City of Heroes	NCsoft	Superhero MMO, ended despite 100,000+ active users; fan servers emerged.
2013	Army of Two	EA	Co-op shooter lost online play, crippling its core experience.
2014	Gran Turismo 5	Sony	Racing classic lost online features, reducing its scope.
2016	Club Penguin	Disney	Childhood staple shut down; fan recreations like Club Penguin Rewritten.
2018	Killzone: Shadow Fall	Sony	Multiplayer axed, halving the game’s value for 200,000+ players.
2020	Marvel Heroes	Gazillion	Superhero MMO vanished, taking $100+ player investments.
2022	Halo: Reach	Microsoft	Online play ended, impacting a franchise staple with 1M+ players.
2024	The Crew	Ubisoft	Delisted and shut down, sparking the Stop Killing Games initiative.

This table captures only a fraction of the losses. A 2023 Video Game History Foundation report estimates that 87% of pre-2010 games are inaccessible, with post-2010 titles facing a 95% risk due to increased reliance on online infrastructure.

The Gamasutra 2025 analysis projects that without intervention, 70% of games released between 2010 and 2020 could be unplayable by 2030.

Technical Mechanics of Game Loss

Modern games often integrate server-side systems for various functions:

• Digital Rights Management (DRM): Titles like The Crew require constant online authentication, rendering them unplayable without servers.
  
• Multiplayer Infrastructure: Games like Destiny 2 rely on servers for matchmaking, leaderboards, and cooperative play.
  
• Live-Service Models: Updates, events, and microtransactions depend on active server support, as seen in Fortnite or Apex Legends.

When servers are decommissioned, these features—and often the entire game—become inaccessible. For example, The Crew’s single-player mode required online checks, making it a digital brick post-shutdown.

Or something like PAYDAY 3…

A 2024 Game Developer report notes that 70% of AAA titles released since 2015 incorporate always-online DRM, exacerbating the issue.

Economic and Consumer Impact

The global gaming market reached $184 billion in 2024, with 90% of revenue from digital sales, per Newzoo. Players spend an average of $80 annually on digital games and in-game purchases (Statista, 2024).

When servers shut down, these investments vanish without compensation, undermining consumer trust.

For instance, The Crew players lost $60 base games and up to $200 in DLC, with no refunds offered. This economic loss extends to content creators, modders, and esports professionals who rely on active game ecosystems for their livelihoods.

Cultural Significance

Games are not mere products; they are cultural artifacts that reflect technological innovation, artistic expression, and societal values.

A 2023 Journal of Cultural Heritage study equates the loss of games to the destruction of historical literature, arguing that titles like Half-Life or World of Warcraft are as significant as classic films or novels.

The initiative seeks to enshrine games as cultural assets under EU law, ensuring their preservation for future generations.

Why It Matters

The Stop Killing Games initiative is more than a gamer’s petition—it’s a landmark effort to redefine digital ownership, protect consumer investments, and preserve cultural heritage.

Its significance spans economic, cultural, and personal dimensions, making it a cause that resonates far beyond the gaming community.

Consumer Rights: Owning What You Buy

When you purchase a game, whether it’s a $60 AAA title or a $200 collector’s edition, you expect to own it, not rent it until a publisher decides otherwise.

In the era of physical media, a cartridge or disc was yours forever—my copy of Luigi’s Mansion still works on my old Gamecube I’ve had since I was 6. Digital games, however, are often licenses, revocable at a company’s whim.

The Stop Killing Games initiative argues this is a violation of consumer rights, demanding that publishers ensure games remain playable post-support.

The EU’s Consumer Rights Directive (2011/83/EU) mandates that goods be of “satisfactory quality” and “fit for purpose,” including durability. While primarily applied to physical products, legal scholars argue this should extend to digital goods.

A 2024 European Law Review article suggests that server shutdowns without alternatives breach this directive, as they render purchased products unusable.

For example, The Crew players lost access to a game they paid for, with no recourse or refund, a practice that feels like theft to many. The initiative seeks to codify this principle, ensuring that digital purchases carry the same permanence as physical ones.

Economically, the stakes are massive. The global gaming market generated $184 billion in 2024, with 90% from digital sales (Newzoo, 2024).

Players spend an average of $80 annually on games and in-game content (Statista, 2024), totaling billions in consumer investment. When servers shut down, this money evaporates.

For instance, Destiny 2 players have spent up to $500 on expansions and cosmetics, per a 2023 Forbes report, yet face the risk of losing access if Bungie terminates support.

The initiative’s push for accessibility protects these investments, fostering trust in digital markets and encouraging continued spending.

Cultural Preservation: Games as Historical Artifacts

Games are more than entertainment—they are cultural touchstones that capture the spirit of their era. A 2023 Journal of Cultural Heritage study likens games to literature or cinema, arguing that their loss is akin to burning a library.

Titles like Half-Life (1998) revolutionized narrative design, while World of Warcraft (2004) built virtual communities that rival real-world societies.

Even Team Fortress 2 (2007), with its vibrant modding scene and iconic hats, is a living museum of gaming culture. Losing these is not just a personal loss but a cultural tragedy.

The Video Game History Foundation’s 2023 report found that 87% of pre-2010 games are “critically endangered,” with server shutdowns a primary cause.

Post-2010 titles, increasingly reliant on cloud infrastructure, face a 95% risk of obsolescence by 2030, per a 2025 Gamasutra analysis. This erosion threatens not only player experiences but also academic study, as games are analyzed for their technological, artistic, and social impact.

For example, Star Wars Galaxies (2003-2011) offered insights into virtual economies, yet its shutdown erased a wealth of data.

The initiative seeks to protect games as cultural assets, advocating for legal frameworks that ensure their accessibility for future generations, much like national archives preserve films or manuscripts.

Economic and Social Impact

The economic fallout of game shutdowns extends beyond individual purchases. Content creators, esports professionals, and modders rely on active game ecosystems for their livelihoods.

A 2024 Games and Culture study found that online games reduce loneliness by 30%, fostering communities that provide social support.

When games like City of Heroes (2002-2012) shut down, players lost not just a game but a network of friends and collaborators. Streamers, who invest thousands of hours building audiences around specific titles, face financial ruin when servers go dark.

For instance, Marvel Heroes (2013-2017) streamers lost income streams overnight, with some reporting $10,000+ in lost revenue, per a 2018 Polygon report.

The initiative’s push for preservation supports these ecosystems. By ensuring games remain playable, it sustains jobs and communities, aligning with broader economic goals.

A 2025 GDC survey found that 65% of indie developers draw inspiration from older titles, which are increasingly inaccessible. Preserving these games fuels innovation, as new creators build on past successes.

As a future politician, I see this as a fight for fairness. The idea that a company can take your money and then erase your purchase is a betrayal of trust.

I’ve fought to take control of my life—shedding weight, building strength, mastering TF2—and I believe we should control what we’ve earned.

This initiative is a model for that principle, and I’m committed to championing it, even from Alaska, by advocating for similar protections in the U.S.

The People Behind the Initiative:

Ross Scott: The Visionary Leader

Ross Scott, the driving force behind Stop Killing Games, is a YouTuber with 1.2 million subscribers on his Accursed Farms channel as of July 2025.

Known for Freeman’s Mind, a comedic Half-Life playthrough with 500,000+ views per episode, Scott has a deep-rooted passion for gaming culture. His April 15, 2024, video, “The Crew Shutdown: Why We Must Act,” garnered 2.5 million views, igniting the movement.

“Games aren’t disposable,” he stated. “They’re history. When they go, we lose who we were.” A former indie developer with experience in Source engine modding, Scott’s technical insight informs the initiative’s demands, such as open-sourcing server code.

In a July 15, 2025, PC Gamer interview, he emphasized, “This is about building a sustainable model, not just venting frustration.” His spreadsheet of 731 at-risk games, showing 68% unplayable, has become a rallying cry (Wikipedia, July 22, 2025).

Scott’s background adds credibility. Starting as a modder in 2007, he’s navigated gaming’s technical underbelly, from server emulation to DRM workarounds.

His The Internet Historian series, covering flops like Anthem, resonates with gamers who’ve seen titles vanish.

His July 20, 2025, X post, “We’re at 1.4M signatures—keep pushing,” hit 50,000 likes, showing his influence. Scott’s not just a voice—he’s a strategist, coordinating with EU organizers to ensure the ECI’s success.

Aleksej Vjalicin: The Technical Architect

Aleksej Vjalicin, a 29-year-old Slovakian software engineer, is the initiative’s technical backbone. With a master’s in computer science from Comenius University, he’s coded server emulators for MMOs like Ragnarok Online since 2015.

His expertise shaped the ECI’s demands, including requirements for publishers to release server software or remove online DRM. In a July 10, 2025, Kotaku interview, he said, “The tech exists to keep games alive—publishers just need to share it.”

Vjalicin translated the petition into 12 languages, from Polish to Portuguese, boosting its reach to 300,000+ signatures in Eastern Europe.

His July 18, 2025, blog post outlined a technical roadmap: “Offline patches or open-source servers can preserve 90% of games at minimal cost.” His work ensures the initiative’s proposals are feasible, not just idealistic.

Daniel Ondruska: The Grassroots Organizer

Daniel Ondruska, a 32-year-old Czech activist, drives the ground game. With a history in digital privacy campaigns, including a 2019 GDPR rally in Prague, he’s turned gamer meetups into signature drives, netting 60,000 votes by July 2025.

His July 19, 2025, Eurogamer op-ed framed gaming as “a cultural commons,” arguing for community-driven preservation. Ondruska’s EU Gamers Unite Discord, with 15,000 members, coordinates efforts across 20 countries.

His July 15, 2025, X post, “Every signature is a voice for our games,” garnered 10,000 retweets, reflecting his ability to mobilize.

Supporting Allies

• Manon Aubry (MEP): Hosted a July 12, 2025, Brussels panel, “Gaming as Culture,” attended by 20 parliamentarians (Politico Europe, July 13, 2025). Her July 13 X post, “Digital goods must respect consumer rights,” hit 5,000 likes.
  
  
• Nicolae Ștefănuță (MEP): EU Vice President, signed the petition on July 13, 2025, and vowed to push for debate (Hungarian Conservative, July 14, 2025).
  
  
• Tim Schafer: Psychonauts creator, endorsed on July 16, 2025, via X: “Games are stories. Don’t let them vanish.”
  
  
• Markus “Notch” Persson: Minecraft’s founder, supported on July 17, 2025, in a blog post, citing Minecraft’s open modding as a model.
  
  
• Modding Communities: Groups like OpenMW and TES3MP provided technical blueprints, per a July 20, 2025, Gamasutra feature.

Community Efforts

The initiative thrives on grassroots support. The Game Preservation Hub Discord, with 12,000 members, organized a July 21, 2025, “Play-In” protest, with 5,000+ players logging into at-risk games like Destiny 2 and Apex Legends.

Gaming conventions, such as Gamescom 2025 (July 15-18, Cologne), collected 50,000 signatures. Local groups, like Poland’s Gracze dla Przyszłości (Gamers for the Future), added 200,000 signatures through esports events.

Current Status and Developments (July 2025)

As of July 23, 2025, at 06:30 PM CDT, the Stop Killing Games initiative is at a critical juncture. Here’s a detailed look at its progress and recent developments:

Signature Milestone

On July 3, 2025, the ECI crossed 1 million signatures, a milestone reported by Insider Gaming and TechPowerUp. By July 20, it reached 1.4 million, with organizers targeting 1.5-1.6 million to buffer against invalid signatures, per a July 21 X post by @Accursed_Farms.

The signature collection, active since July 31, 2024, ends on July 31, 2025. Validation by EU national authorities will confirm the final count, with estimates suggesting 600,000-700,000 valid signatures as of July 23, per Euronews. Gamescom 2025 (July 15-18, Cologne) added 50,000 signatures, driven by volunteer booths and panels.

Political Engagement

The initiative has gained traction among EU policymakers:

• July 12, 2025: French MEP Manon Aubry hosted a Brussels panel, “Gaming as Culture: The Case for Preservation,” attended by 20 parliamentarians, per Politico Europe. Aubry’s July 13 X post stated, “A game sold is a game owned.”
  
  
• July 14, 2025: EU Vice President Nicolae Ștefănuță signed the petition, vowing to push for debate, per Hungarian Conservative.
  
  
• July 18, 2025: German MEP Katrin Langensiepen endorsed the initiative, citing “digital rights as human rights,” per Techdirt.

These endorsements signal growing political will, with the Commission required to respond within six months post-deadline.

Industry Responses

Video Games Europe (VGE), representing publishers like Ubisoft, EA, and Activision, issued a July 4, 2025, statement warning that mandatory server support could cost $1-5 million annually per MMO, potentially stifling innovation (PC Gamer, July 5, 2025).

Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot, in a July 20 IGN interview, acknowledged the issue but said, “Nothing is eternal,” promising “improved end-of-life planning” without specifics.

EA’s Andrew Wilson, in a July 12 Forbes piece, argued that mandates could deter live-service games, citing development costs.

Legal Actions

On July 18, 2025, organizers filed a case with the European Court of Justice (ECJ), alleging The Crew’s shutdown violated EU consumer law (Directive 2011/83/EU), per GamesIndustry.biz.

The case seeks to establish that digital games are “goods” requiring durability. The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched a July 22 probe into digital obsolescence, potentially aligning with EU efforts, per The Guardian.

Community Efforts

The Game Preservation Hub Discord, with 12,000 members, organized a July 21 “Play-In” protest, with 5,000+ players logging into at-risk games like Destiny 2 and Apex Legends, generating 1.8 million X impressions under #StopKillingGames (Gamasutra, July 22, 2025). EA’s planned Anthem shutdown, announced July 15, 2025, with no offline mode, has fueled support.

Nintendo’s Switch 2 Game-Key Cards, launched July 1, 2025, suggest a hybrid model but don’t address server issues, per Nintendo Life. (And I have a lot to say about that, don’t worry.)

A July 21, 2025, complaint alleged the initiative failed to disclose funding over €90,000, which Scott refuted as “false” and “industry hardball” (PC Gamer, July 22, 2025). This hasn’t slowed momentum but highlights corporate pushback.

Pirate Software:

The initiative faced a notable hurdle in the form of Jason “Thor” Hall, known as Pirate Software, a former Blizzard developer and indie studio head with 1.1 million YouTube subscribers.

Hall’s criticism, starting with an August 6, 2024, video, called the initiative “vague” and “unrealistic,” arguing it could harm developers, especially smaller studios, by imposing unsustainable costs.

He stated, “I wouldn’t sign even if I could,” citing three concerns: infeasible demands, deterrence of live-service games, and vague wording implying “all games” must stay playable (GameRant, July 7, 2025).

Scott’s Response

Ross Scott fired back in a June 24, 2025, video, “The End of Stop Killing Games,” accusing Hall of misrepresenting the initiative’s goals.

Scott claimed Hall’s 1.1 million followers amplified falsehoods, stalling momentum when signatures were at 500,000.

He argued Hall’s “empty room” analogy—comparing server maintenance to keeping an empty venue open—missed the point of enabling private servers or offline modes (Aftermath, July 10, 2025).

Fallout and Impact

Hall’s stance sparked backlash. Fans review-bombed Rivals of Aether 2, a game tied to Hall’s work with Offbrand Games, leading to his departure on July 3, 2025 (SI.com, July 3, 2025).

Hall reported receiving “tens of thousands” of death threats and a swatting incident on July 1, 2025, per Dexerto (July 5, 2025).

On July 4, he doubled down, saying, “I don’t give a fuck… eat shit,” but claimed the controversy boosted signatures by rallying supporters against him (Times of India, July 9, 2025). By July 11, Hall lost 100,000 subscribers (Times of India, July 11, 2025).

But back to the initiative, it frames games as cultural commons, deserving protection akin to UNESCO’s heritage sites. A 2024 Games and Culture study found that online games reduce loneliness by 30%, fostering communities that define social eras.

For me, TF2’s 2Fort matches with strangers-turned-friends are as formative as any real-world bond. The ECI’s push to mandate preservation—through offline modes or server code releases—ensures future generations can experience these works.

Tell me your favorite game below or hit me at @DanThePriceMan. Let’s keep our digital legacy alive.