UK government responds to Stop Killing Games campaign
UK government responds to Stop Killing Games campaign
A public campaign to prevent publishers from pulling online support from video games in a way that makes them unplayabl…
Petition: "Please prevent this shitty behaviour?"
Government: "There's nothing in law preventing this shitty behaviour."
"Yes, we're asking you to change the law you dipshits!"
Our government is just an appalling joke at this point.
The government simply doesn't understand technology. If someone said "I bought a book, but after 6 years the publisher came in and stole my copy and burned it" they can understand that. But a single player game, which is in many ways the same as a book, these old politicians just think "spoiled millennials just want free stuff handed to them. Stop playing games and grow up". No one would say that about a book.
I want to be able to enjoy my private, legally purchased, leisure activity without the risk that the publisher steals it from me through deceptive practices. Is that really too much to ask for?
But the Department emphasised that all video game companies are beholden to existing consumer laws and regulations, adding:
"If consumers are led to believe that a game will remain playable indefinitely for certain systems, despite the end of physical support, the [Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008] may require that the game remains technically feasible (for example, available offline) to play under those circumstances."
Interesting! It sounds like there's no interest in preserving live service games at the moment, but this would be a great step for toning down "always online" games.
The petition needs more signatures before it'll be considered, apparently
I've been telling everyone I know to sign, even those without any interest in video games, as stronger consumer protections are always good 👍