publishing

The landscape of digital game ownership has come under scrutiny as digital distribution increases, leading gamers to question their true ownership of purchased titles. Many high-profile games have disappeared from digital platforms, including Sony's Concord, which was discontinued just 11 days after launch. The Stop Killing Games campaign, initiated by YouTuber Ross Scott, gained traction after Ubisoft shut down The Crew, a decade-old racing game, making it unplayable due to server and licensing issues. The campaign advocates for classifying video games as "goods" rather than "services," arguing that purchased games should not be rendered inoperable. The petition has over 400,000 signatures, aiming for a million by July 2025 to prompt the EU to consider a ban on making multiplayer games unplayable. Steam has updated its disclaimers regarding ownership in response to these issues, influenced by a new Californian law requiring retailers to inform consumers about the revocability of digital games. GOG has positioned itself as a champion of consumer rights, ensuring that purchased games remain with the buyer indefinitely and allowing users to bequeath their game libraries. Industry leaders, including Michael Douse from Larian Studios, have expressed concerns about the implications of losing ownership for developers. While some publishers recognize the value of preserving older titles, others remain less attuned to this importance. The conversation around ownership and preservation is intensifying, highlighting that players do not truly own their games on platforms like Steam, where access can be revoked at any time.