Stop Killing Games, founded by YouTuber Ross Scott in 2024, is campaigning against publishers that switch off online games and render paid purchases unplayable. A petition with nearly 1.3 million signatures prompted a European Parliament hearing and requires an EU response by 27 July. The movement was galvanised by Ubisoft's shutdown of The Crew (12M+ players); legal actions and a proposed California law seeking refunds or continued playability have since escalated the debate.
Stop Killing Games: Gamers Push Back After Publishers Turn Off Paid Online Titles
The Crew was released by Ubisoft in 2014, and discontinued in 2024 [Ubisoft]
Stop Killing Games, a campaign launched by American YouTuber Ross Scott (also known as Accursed Farms) in 2024, has forced a wider debate about whether publishers can legally and ethically switch off online games that players have paid to access. The group's petition—signed by nearly 1.3 million people—was submitted to the European Commission and prompted a public hearing in the European Parliament.
The campaign was sparked by Ubisoft's 2024 announcement that it would shut down the online-only racing game The Crew. The French publisher cited 'upcoming server infrastructure and licensing constraints' for taking the title offline; the game had attracted more than 12 million players during its life.
Ross Scott is the founder of the Stop Killing Games initiative, which he started in 2024 [Stop Killing Games]
For long-time fans such as Chemicalflood, who played The Crew for nearly a decade, the shutdown felt like a personal loss. 'I was around 18 at the time of the launch — it was a big part of my adult life growing up,' he said. The title later became a shared experience with his children, making the loss of access more than just an inconvenience.
'I just hate seeing creative works effectively destroyed,' Ross Scott said, explaining why he started Stop Killing Games. He defines 'killing' a game as the moment when 'every copy of that game that's ever been sold has been disabled, and no one on the planet can run it.'
Community organisers who tried to preserve The Crew compared server shutdowns to theft. Whammy4, who founded the fan community The Crew Unlimited, said: 'You buy a physical copy, you install it, you play it — then the publisher destroys all copies worldwide. No refunds, no warning, nothing you can do to keep it.'
Concord was launched by Sony in August 2024, and taken down just two weeks later [Sony]
Ubisoft defended its decision in response to a proposed class-action lawsuit in California, arguing customers bought a licence to use the game rather than full ownership and that online services were never guaranteed to be permanent. The proposed class action was dismissed without prejudice in June 2025 after the plaintiffs withdrew.
The industry has pushed back. Trade body Video Games Europe says companies must retain the option to end services when titles are no longer commercially viable and warns some campaign proposals could substantially increase development costs for online-only games.
The Stop Killing Games team has grown since the campaign was first launched by Ross Scott in 2024 [Stop Killing Games]
Stop Killing Games says it is not demanding publishers keep servers running indefinitely. Instead, campaigners want 'responsible' end-of-life plans when online support ends — for example, updating titles to work offline, releasing server code or tools that allow communities to run their own servers, or offering clear refunds and advance notice.
Where The Debate Stands
The campaign is active on several fronts. The European Commission must formally respond to the European Citizens' Initiative by 27 July. In France, consumer group UFC-Que Choisir has launched legal action against Ubisoft over The Crew shutdown, alleging players were misled and some contract terms were unfair. In the UK, ministers say existing consumer law applies and they currently have no plans to change it.
In the United States, campaigners support California's proposed Protect Our Games Act, which would require publishers to keep games playable after online support ends or to provide refunds. The bill has passed the California State Assembly and is before the State Senate.
Academics and industry analysts note the underlying commercial tension: many modern 'live-service' games are built around ongoing player communities rather than one-off consumable experiences. That model makes titles dependent on active player bases and ongoing investment — and, conversely, vulnerable to abrupt shutdowns when revenues fall short.
The Stop Killing Games campaign has turned a niche preservation concern into a public-policy question about digital ownership, consumer rights and cultural preservation. Whether regulators will impose new rules, require better disclosure, or accept voluntary industry commitments remains unresolved — but the debate shows no sign of fading.
Help us improve.
