The European Pirate Party Board has been asked to support a European Citizens initiative called Stop Destroying Videogames. The board decided to present the proposal to the Council meeting to get the imput from the member parties. This is the information we’ve received:
The Stop Destroying Videogames ECI, which is supported by the Stop Killing Games campaign, aims to put an end to the anti-consumer practice followed by an increasing number of videogame Publishers where as soon as support for a videogame ends, servers shut down and videogames become unplayable and non-operational. This happens because a growing number of videogames require a connection to the Publisher’s servers in order to function. Therefore, as soon as the connection to the those servers is severed, videogames which are affected by this practice are essentially wiped out of existence irrespectively if a customer has bought a physical or a digital copy!!
This initiative, despite its narrow scope of application, has a much broader impact on consumers’ lives in general because more and more digital and physical products, from house appliances to medical tools, etc., require an internet connection and software updates to function properly. If the above becomes common practice in the industry, private ownership of such possessions in the future may become obsolete because in a flip of a button all those goods requiring an internet connection will cease to function.
This initiative has garnered the full support of the German Pirate Party, the Czech Pirate MEP Markéta Gregorová, as well as a number of other European Parties. More information can be found on the attached press release and flyer.
On behalf of the ECI organizers, we would be grateful if the European Pirate Party is able to endorse and support this initiative which is to the benefit of all EU consumers and if possible, to promote same to its official social media channels.
Stop Killing Games Press Release.pdf (373.4 KB)
SKG Flyer ΕΝ.pdf (391.3 KB)