It seems that there are game publishers that are currently practicing unfair sales policies against their own customers. This is without a doubt a very bad reflection on the overall games industry as it shows a very negative treatment of its own consumers. Let's take a closer look at the ongoing situation.

When Publishers Are Unfair

Just because something is legal doesn't necessarily mean it is fair and moral. This is the case of what is currently being practiced by some profit-hungry game publishers (particularly in big AAA publishing) towards their own buying public, without whom they would not exist. This makes the blood boil for almost every practical and sane gamer who splurges their hard-earned cash to buy a worthwhile product they invest in and should be able to use for a very long time.

This is the practice of what can be described as "Killing Games", just because the publisher or manufacturer can no longer profit from it. In all practical sense, even abandonware games are still around and can be accessed and played despite the publishers closing shop a long time ago.

The games industry today, in all honesty, is going through a lot of serious upheaval and changes, and no matter how positive and bright-looking we try to paint its current state, reality bites, and we all have to be honest regarding the current situations that are placing the gamers or the consumers at an unfair disadvantage.

Gamers as consumers have rights, and one of those rights is to have a working product that they bought for use anytime they want to, even 50 years from now. It's like buying a piece of furniture, you bought it and you have been using it for the past 10 years, and though you may no longer be able to return it to the manufacturer, the product has served you well. You are satisfied with the purchase.

Should you buy a piece of equipment or an appliance of any sort, there should always be a warranty for a stated time period and a guarantee that says the equipment can be repaired in the future and serve the consumer well for at least several years of normal use. These are all covered under the consumer protection laws of almost every country, and so should be applied to computer and video games, especially those that work online, and can be purchased outright as the games are products and the gamers are consumers.

As mentioned, the game industry is practically in chaos nowadays for so many reasons, oh no, not the small indie developers that gamers are now turning their attention to. The recent super-success of Hollow Knight: Silksong proves the point, because games should cater to the desires and needs of gamers. Many big game companies seem to have forgotten that it is not their profit that should come first, but as the saying goes, "the customer (gamer) is always right". An industry should cater to its market, and not the other way around.

Game Killing is when you buy a game from a big game publisher XYZ, pay for it in full, but surprise, surprise, you can only play it while connected to their online server(s), even in solo play. When the company deems that the game and operation of the server are no longer practical and profitable, they shut it down, along with your access to the game. It's been a few years, so there's no refund.

As a gamer, you end up being left "high-and-dry" with no longer access to a product you paid for, even with the game client still on your PC or gaming device. You bought the game, you didn't rent it, so you should be able to play it even if the company goes out of business. These publishers will insist that you bought a license; if so, you should have every right to continue having access to the game. To add insult to injury, these companies do a "one" on you, the customer, using legal means.

The EU Fights Back

The "Stop Killing Games Movement" is a consumer advocacy initiative spearheaded by prolific "YouTuber" Ross Scott in 2024. Its aim is to call attention to, and deal with this unsavory practice of big game publishers, particularly with their online games that they sell, and not rent out. Consumer protection has just discovered another huge flaw (among many, many, others) that has to be addressed in today's gaming industry.

The industry needs to thrive hand-in-hand with its consumer market, and a fair and satisfactory approach to both sides is necessary, and this includes a continuing product support or usability for the consumer despite the publisher's shutting down updates and support for it. A good example is the computer applications that continue to work (and are still being used) despite being termed and considered "obsolete" and no longer supported by the publisher. Stop Killing Games is an initiative towards this.

Stop Killing Games advocacy was launched in the EU and has already accumulated over a million signatures (in counting) as a European Citizen's Initiative. Despite the signature campaign being over, the advocacy continues on and is currently being lobbied in the whole of the EU, UK, Australia, and several key countries that have taken notice and consideration of such a practice of the currently deteriorating AAA game industry.

The Movement In Summary

The thing that sparked the ire of the EU gamers, and gamers worldwide, was when a big well-known game developer-publisher shut down a racing game that can only be played online (even in solo-play). The servers were shut down, and the consumers left high and dry.

As mentioned above, SKG argues that the game is a bought product and should be accessible to the buyer/consumer even if the company should stop existing. The movement invokes the consumer right to have the game accessible, just like a physical product, like that old SEGA cartridge you've kept for the last 30 years that will still work on a working SEGA Genesis.

The movement has launched an EU government petition to address the issue and provide consumer protection as a proposed legislation that will mandate game publishers to an end-of-life accessibility support for their sold games. The initiative is now being addressed by both the EU and UK Parliaments and is now under official debate.

SKG A Global Initiative

There is a saying, "if you let a conman keep conning you, then you're a stupid monkey". Jokes aside, gamers are consumers, and consumers have rights. Likewise, consumers want products that they can satisfactorily consume. If you buy an ice cream cone, you expect it to be a yummy and satisfying ice cream cone. The games industry has survived for a very long time because gamers worldwide are buying and playing games. Without them, there would be no game industry, and doing a "one" on them is something that's just plain disgusting and distasteful.

Hopefully, things like these can be addressed and ironed out for a smooth, profitable, and continually growing gaming industry in the years to come.