Ross Scott on Stop Killing Games movement: live discussion
▼ Summary
– A live Ars Technica conversation with Stop Killing Games founder Ross Scott is scheduled for August 11 at 2:30 pm ET to discuss video game preservation.
– Scott launched the Stop Killing Games movement in 2024 after Ubisoft shut down servers for The Crew.
– The campaign has gathered millions of signatures on petitions demanding legislative action for perpetual game access, either via server support or player-run servers.
– The movement has already prompted an official parliamentary debate, a European Commission response, and proposed legislation in California.
– The discussion will also cover recent industry moves like Sony stopping PlayStation disc sales and their impact on long-term game access.
For anyone who has watched a beloved multiplayer title go dark after its servers were retired, or discovered a critically praised game has vanished from digital storefronts entirely, the frustration is all too familiar. This is the growing problem of game preservation, and the question is whether anything can actually be done to stop it.
To explore that question, we’re hosting a live conversation with Ross Scott, the creator of the Stop Killing Games campaign, on August 11 at 2:30 pm ET as part of the Ars Live series. In my role as Ars’ Senior Gaming Editor, I’ve covered numerous cases of vibrant online worlds being abruptly abandoned by the companies that made them.
Scott launched the Stop Killing Games initiative in 2024 following Ubisoft’s decision to take The Crew offline. Since then, the movement has collected millions of gamer signatures on petitions submitted to governments, calling for legislation that would ensure perpetual access to purchased games, either through continued official server support or by giving players the tools to run their own. The campaign has already generated an official parliamentary debate and a response from the European Commission, and a proposed bill is currently moving through the California legislature.
During the discussion, I’ll ask Scott about the origins of the movement, what is driving gamers’ growing concern about long-term access, and whether this issue can realistically be solved through regulation. We’ll also examine how recent industry shifts, such as Sony’s move to phase out physical PlayStation discs, are shaping the broader conversation about who really owns the games we buy.
Join us for what promises to be a compelling and timely conversation about the future of game ownership.
(Source: Ars Technica)
