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Stop Killing Games

All articles tagged with #stop killing games

technology7 days ago•7 min saved

EU Kids Act Draws Sharp Criticism from Gaming Advocates and Fediverse Developers

The proposed EU Kids Act, introduced in September 2026, faces intense backlash from the video game industry and decentralized social media developers. Critics argue the legislation’s broad age verification requirements and restrictions on private servers could collapse the European gaming market and undermine the technical foundations of the Fediverse. While the law aims to protect minors through strict safety measures, opponents warn that its implementation is technically unfeasible for small-scale operators and fundamentally incompatible with open-source network architectures.

via Massively Overpowered|

#age-verification #eu-kids-act #mastodon

technology-and-policy8 days ago•13 min saved

EU Kids Act Sparks Backlash Over Age Verification and AI Safeguards

The European Commission's proposed EU Kids Act, introduced on September 17, 2026, has triggered a polarized debate across the gaming and digital rights sectors. While the 99-page proposal aims to protect minors from AI-driven harms and risky digital services through strict 'safety-by-design' mandates, critics argue it threatens to collapse the gaming market by mandating invasive age verification and banning private servers. Conversely, legal and medical experts contend that the legislation is a necessary, evidence-based response to documented online harms, though they urge a more nuanced approach to balancing privacy with protection.

via Kotaku|

#age-verification #ai-regulation #eu-kids-act

technology3 months ago•3 min saved

Lobby clashes cast private game servers as piracy battleground

Stop Killing Games lobbied California’s AB 1921 to require publishers to warn 60 days before ending official server support and offer remedies such as offline modes or refunds; the bill stalled in the Senate amid ESA claims that private Minecraft/Call of Duty servers constitute piracy, a claim SKG rejects. EU efforts similarly stalled. With funding and lobbying constraints cited, SKG plans more court challenges and a recruitment drive to push for post-license play protections and counter publishers’ arguments in hearings across other states.

via TechSpot|

#ab-1921 #esa #piracy-claims

technology4 months ago•8 min saved

California advances protections to keep games playable after online shutdowns

California's Assembly passed AB 1921, the Protect Our Games Act, 43-16, advancing the Stop Killing Games effort to require publishers to keep games playable after servers shut down (via offline access or refunds); it moves to the Senate amid industry concerns from the ESA about higher costs and reduced innovation.

via Eurogamer|

#ab-1921 #california #end-of-life

culture4 months ago•13 min saved

California Advances Safeguards to Prevent Game Sunsetting

California Assembly passed AB 1921, the so-called Protect Our Games Act, which would require publishers to give a 60-day notice before sunsetting a game and to maintain some form of access for purchased titles (free-to-play games are exempt); if the bill clears the Senate, it would apply to games released or resold after January 1, 2027. The measure, a major win for the Stop Killing Games movement led by Accursed Farms’ Scott Ross, reflects growing scrutiny of live-service practices in gaming on both sides of the Atlantic.

via Kotaku|

#ab-1921 #accursed-farms #california

technology4 months ago•2 min saved

California eyes bill to keep online games playable after support ends

California lawmakers are weighing the Protect Our Games Act, a measure that would require publishers and digital game operators to maintain access to online games even after support ends, obligating a 60-day warning before shutdown and offering refunds or patches to keep games playable; it would apply only to titles released after January 1, 2027, with older games exempt. The Stop Killing Games movement frames this as preserving digital media as cultural heritage, highlighting the broader ownership-versus-leasing questions in the digital era and momentum among consumers.

via Mashable|

#digital-ownership #game-preservation #online-games

policy4 months ago•11 min saved

California advances bill to keep online games playable after shutdowns

A California Assembly appropriations committee advanced the Protect Our Games Act, which would require digital game publishers to offer refunds or updated versions to keep games playable after online services end, and to notify players 60 days before shutdown; the measure would apply to paid games sold in California on or after January 1, 2027, with exemptions for completely free games and subscription-only titles. The bill, championed by Stop Killing Games and opposed by the Entertainment Software Association, still must clear both legislative chambers and gain the governor’s signature, and faces licensing and IP considerations that opponents argue could be problematic.

via Ars Technica|

#california #live-service-games #policy

technology4 months ago•3 min saved

California advances bill to keep online games playable after server shutdowns

A California bill, AB 1921, cleared the Assembly Appropriations Committee with amendments and now eyes a full Assembly floor vote. It would require game studios to keep online services running after server shutdowns or offer refunds, a measure backed by Stop Killing Games and opposed by the ESA. If it passes the Assembly and is signed by Governor Gavin Newsom, it could establish end‑of‑life plans for online titles and set a precedent for digital consumer rights.

via Rock Paper Shotgun|

#california-legislation #digital-rights #game-preservation

world8 months ago•8 min saved

Stop Killing Games Reaches 1.3M Signatures, Eyes EU Commission Submission

Stop Killing Games has cleared almost 1.3 million valid signatures for its EU Citizens’ Initiative, paving the way for an official handover to the European Commission in Brussels in late February. The group argues for protections to prevent remote publisher shutdowns and to keep games playable without ongoing publisher involvement, noting Anthem and Avengers as examples. Germany, France, Poland, and Spain lead the signatures, and organizers say the goal is preservation rather than ownership.

via Eurogamer|

#digital-rights #eu-citizens-initiative #european-commission

world11 months ago•2 min saved

UK Parliament Debates 'Stop Killing Games' Campaign and Video Game Consumer Laws

The UK government debated the Stop Killing Games campaign, which advocates for players to access online games after their end-of-life, but ultimately rejected the proposal citing concerns over development costs and complexity, despite significant public support and discussion on digital ownership and preservation.

via Push Square|

#digital-ownership #online-games #stop-killing-games

technology1 year ago•1 min saved

Ubisoft Responds to Controversies Over 'Stop Killing Games' Movement and Industry Challenges

Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot addressed the Stop Killing Games movement, which criticizes publishers for shutting down older games like The Crew, highlighting that game services are not meant to last forever and discussing industry efforts to minimize impact on players. The movement gained traction after Ubisoft's decision to sunset The Crew, and other companies like BioWare and Sony have also shut down older titles, raising questions about game preservation and consumer rights.

via GameSpot|

#game-preservation #game-shutdowns #stop-killing-games

technology1 year ago•3 min saved

Ubisoft Responds to 'Stop Killing Games' Campaign Amid Industry Controversy

The 'Stop Killing Games' EU petition, supported by over 1.4 million signatures, aims to prevent publishers from remotely disabling video games, but faces false allegations claiming improper funding disclosures, with YouTuber Ross Scott defending the campaign's transparency amid anonymous complaints.

via kotaku.com|

#eu-petition #false-claims #stop-killing-games

technology1 year ago•2 min saved

Stop Killing Games Achieves Key Milestone Amid Industry Debate

The Stop Killing Games movement has achieved a major milestone by gathering over 1.4 million signatures for its EU petition, aiming to prevent publishers from remotely disabling games without providing functional alternatives. The petition's success could influence gaming laws across the EU and beyond, especially affecting major developers like Ubisoft, amid ongoing industry debates and controversies.

via Sports Illustrated|

#eu-petition #gaming-industry #stop-killing-games

technology1 year ago•2 min saved

Ubisoft Faces Growing Pressure Over 'Stop Killing Games' Campaign and Content Concerns

Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot addressed concerns raised by the Stop Killing Games petition at a shareholder meeting, acknowledging the industry's challenge in maintaining game accessibility after support ends, and highlighting efforts to support game preservation and offline access, while noting that discontinuation is a broader industry issue.

via Video Games Chronicle|

#game-discontinuation #game-preservation #stop-killing-games

technology1 year ago•3 min saved

Ubisoft Faces Shareholder Backlash Over 'Woke' Content and Game Strategy

Ubisoft shareholders are urging the company to respond to the Stop Killing Games movement, which protests the discontinuation of online games and the removal of purchased content, highlighting concerns over game preservation and consumer rights. Ubisoft's CEO defends the company's support policies, but critics argue for more responsible end-of-life plans for online games. The movement has gained significant signatures and political attention, raising questions about industry practices and consumer protections.

via Eurogamer|

#consumer-movement #digital-rights #game-preservation