If you’ve spent any time online over the past year, chances are you’ve run across the phrase “Stop Killing Games.” It’s been posted in forums, used in videos, and brought up in more arguments than anyone expected. At first glance, it might sound like a throwaway slogan—one of those things that picks up traction and disappears a week later. But this one stuck. And it stuck because it hit a nerve.
Ross Scott—yeah, the guy behind Freeman’s Mind—kicked the whole thing off. He wasn’t ranting for clicks. He was pissed because The Crew, a racing game that required an internet connection even to play solo, got shut down by Ubisoft. No servers? No game. Even if you paid full price. Gone. Just like that.
Ross didn’t just see one game going dark. He saw a pattern—publishers pulling the plug and locking players out of games they paid for. And not just obscure titles. Some were well-known. Some were loved. That’s what lit the fuse.
What “Stop Killing Games” Is Actually About
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The core idea is simple enough to write on the back of a napkin: if you sell a game, don’t make it vanish later. Shut it down if you have to, but leave something behind. An offline mode. A public server tool. A way to keep it playable without needing the original company to still care.
It’s not asking for miracles. Just… respect the people who bought your product.
And it’s not some fringe rant. This got traction. Over a million signatures on an EU petition. The UK side of it even reached the point of getting a shot at Parliament. People are tired of feeling disposable—like their purchases are temporary rentals dressed up as ownership.
Who’s on Board?
Plenty of gamers, modders, and content creators jumped in. To them, it’s about more than just old games. It’s about history. It’s about ownership. They point out how we’ve preserved old films, old music, even ancient arcade machines. Games deserve that same respect. They’re culture, not clutter.
But there’s another side to this. Some folks started poking holes. “How do you expect a company to maintain hundreds of titles forever?” they ask. Fair question. Others raise the issue of legal headaches and proprietary code. Still fair.
Then there’s the part that stings a little more—the behavior. Some supporters got loud. Hostile. Not everyone’s there to build something useful. A few bad-faith actors twisted the message, turning it into a stick to beat companies—or other people—over the head with. That’s where support started to wobble.
Some folks—myself included—agree with Ross, but not necessarily with how the movement’s been handled since it blew up. The heart’s in the right place. The execution? Mixed bag.
Why Gamers Should Care
This isn’t just some “industry issue.” It’s your wallet. Your library. If a company decides to flip a switch, what happens to your collection? You paid for it. Shouldn’t you still be able to use it?
That’s what Stop Killing Games is putting on the table. They’re forcing the question: what are we actually buying? If games are online-only, and the servers are temporary, then we’re not buying games. We’re buying time. And no one really tells us how long we get.
It also sends a signal to companies: respect matters. Treat your customers like people, not data points. People will remember that.
Not Sure Where to Start?
If this all sounds interesting, and you want to read or watch more, there’s plenty out there. Whether you support it or not, knowing the facts gives you the power to speak up—or speak out—with something behind it.
Where to Learn More:
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Main Website:
https://www.stopkillinggames.com/ -
EU Citizens’ Petition:
https://citizens-initiative.europa.eu/initiatives/details/2024/000007_en -
UK Petition Portal:
https://www.stopkillinggames.com/countries -
Ross Scott’s Video (Campaign Update):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmkCQJrc9n4
News & Reports:
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PC Gamer (Publishers respond):
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/european-game-publisher-group-responds-to-stop-killing-games-claims-these-proposals-would-curtail-developer-choice/ -
AS.com (European developer pushback):
https://as.com/meristation/noticias/las-productoras-empiezan-a-asustarse-del-exito-de-stop-killing-games-limitarian-la-libertad-de-los-desarrolladores-n/ -
India Times (Petition milestone):
https://indiatimes.com/entertainment/stop-killing-games-european-citizens-initiative-crosses-1-million-signature-goal-but-theres-a-catch-662855.html -
GameRant (Signature tracker):
https://gamerant.com/stop-killing-games-petition-how-many-signed-tracker/
You don’t have to march, donate, or sign a petition to care. Just keep your eyes open. Ask questions. Talk about it. Because one day, it could be your favorite game that disappears—and by then, it might be too late to ask why.
