Edit2: As of third of July we’ve achieved the minimum amount of 1 million signatures! But organizers recommend as many signatures as possible to cover for possible invalidations (1.5M would be ideal). If you have not yet signed, you can still help!
Onto the post.
Yarr citizens of the high seas! The Stop Killing Games movement is still ongoing and we’ve recently had a second wind. It’s within reach!
We’re all lovers of media in here, and games currently have no safeguard that guarantees that they won’t be locked down long after being released and abandoned. If crackers help us, they can still be played long into the future, but many times there isn’t such a possibility, specially in multiplayer games.
This initiative seeks to change that by mainly:
- Disallowing planned obsolesce in paid video games. (Ex: By disallowing phone-home based DRM after the game reaches end of life. Like in Ubisoft’s The Crew)
- Ensuring that paid multiplayer games can still be reasonably played long into the future. (Ex: By releasing relevant server hosting software)
If you didn’t sign yet, there is only one month left. Tell your friends too.
Do you live in the EU?
- You can sign it here: https://eci.ec.europa.eu/045/public/#/screen/home
Do you live in the UK?
- You can also sign a different one here: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/702074/
Do you live elsewhere or would like to know more?
Disclaimer: Reminder post, sort of relevant since piracy movements have much to benefit from this initiative.
Have a fine day!
deleted by creator
Let’s say you’re company x budgeting y millions to make a game, after this passes, you may want to account for the fact that the EU may legislate the issue in the years it takes you to develop your game. Might as well work on compliance in advance.
Yeah, wishful thinking, I know.
deleted by creator
I will be so pissed if this gets 1 million signatures and they just hand-wave it away, which is entirely possible, but it’s still worth signing this anyway.
deleted by creator
EU has done some legislation on microtransactions, the most recent one being mandatory real-life currency price tags instead of the in-game currency ones.
It could be seen as a gambling issue rather than digital ownership, but it at least means they pay attention to video games.
deleted by creator
But we got a lot of consumer protection going on and a right to repair movement. For instance phone batteries will have to be easily replaceable again starting in 26 or 27, can’t remember. None of that has anything to do with protecting the children and it still all passed. Video games are already recognized as art btw. All we need now is consumer protection for digital products, it’s extremely lacking in that department.
Well the UK said they have no plans but now they have to actually debate it in Parliament. So it’s better than nothing - at least the proposal gets a chance to be heard.