Gaming’s Digital Ownership Fight Just Hit a Major Milestone—But There’s a Catch

Over 1.2 million gamers signed a legally binding EU petition demanding digital ownership rights after server shutdowns, putting pressure on game publishers to protect access to purchased content.

Ryan Hansen Avatar
Ryan Hansen Avatar

By

Our editorial process is built on human expertise, ensuring that every article is reliable and trustworthy. AI helps us shape our content to be as accurate and engaging as possible.
Learn more about our commitment to integrity in our Code of Ethics.

Image credit: Wikimedia

Key Takeaways

Key Takeaways

  • Stop Killing Games petition crosses 1.2 million signatures, triggering mandatory EU review
  • Major gaming companies oppose preservation requirements, citing development costs and security risks
  • Signature validity concerns could undermine petition’s legal standing in government process

Gamers are done being ignored—and the best games deserve better. The Stop Killing Games petition, now backed by over 1.2 million signatures, demands an end to digital vanishings that turn paid titles into worthless icons. If regulators act, this could finally ensure your favorite games stay playable long after release, protecting your library like the legacy it is.

The Victory That Gaming Needed

The numbers speak volumes about gamer frustration. When Ubisoft shut down “The Crew” in 2024, leaving players unable to access their purchased racing game even in single-player mode, it sparked something bigger than typical internet outrage. YouTuber Ross Scott channeled that anger into a proper regulatory petition, and the response has been massive.

Unlike casual Change.org campaigns, this petition carries legal weight. The European Commission must now examine whether publishers should be required to keep purchased games playable after server shutdowns. Similar efforts are gaining momentum in the UK, suggesting this could become a global standard for digital ownership rights.

The Signature Spoofing Problem

Here’s where things get complicated. Ross Scott himself warns, “First off, I want to say that this is not a Change.org petition. This is a government process. Spoofing signatures on it is a crime. Please do not do this.” Reports suggest up to 10% of signatures might be invalid—either spoofed, duplicate, or incorrectly filled out.

That’s potentially 120,000 worthless signatures on a petition that needed exactly 1 million to trigger action. The campaign deliberately collected well above the threshold, anticipating this problem. Still, signature spoofing could provide ammunition for opponents looking to dismiss the entire effort.

Industry Pushback Gets Real

The best games aren’t just entertainment—they’re cultural artifacts. That’s why the debate around digital preservation is heating up. Even as the Nintendo Switch 2 smashes sales records with 3.5 million units in four days, industry giants like Microsoft and Square Enix push back against proposed preservation laws, claiming they could stifle creativity and spike development costs. The battle isn’t about nostalgia—it’s about control.

The industry’s nightmare scenario involves having to maintain server infrastructure indefinitely or release proprietary server code, costs that could reshape how online games get developed and released, especially in Europe.

What This Means for Your Digital Library

The petition’s success forces a conversation that the gaming industry has avoided for years. Your digital purchases currently exist at the mercy of corporate decisions and server maintenance budgets. Whether this regulatory push succeeds or fails, it’s already changed how publishers think about game preservation and consumer rights.

The fight’s just beginning, but over a million signatures prove gamers are done accepting digital ownership as a temporary privilege.

Share this

At Gadget Review, our guides, reviews, and news are driven by thorough human expertise and use our Trust Rating system and the True Score. AI assists in refining our editorial process, ensuring that every article is engaging, clear and succinct. See how we write our content here →