Nothing is Eternal? How 1.4 Million Gamers Are Fighting Ubisoft’s ‘Kill Switch’ Philosophy

An industry built on nostalgia fights to erase its own history—and gamers are done playing along.

The “Nothing is Eternal” Speech That Lit the Fuse

When Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot declared “support can’t last forever” about online games like The Crew (which Ubisoft literally deleted from players’ libraries), gamers rolled their eyes so hard you could hear it through Discord. His logic? “You provide a service, but nothing is written in stone.” Except, of course, the $60 price tag “written” when players bought the game—with no expiration date in sight.

Ross Scott (@AccursedFarms), the YouTuber who launched Stop Killing Games (SKG), shot back: “I don’t know if the CEO is pretending to be ignorant or not… We’re not asking for endless support. We’re asking them not to deliberately destroy purchases.” . Translation: Stop selling us “products” that vanish like a Fortnite match.

1.4 Million Signatures & The Great EU Gamble

The SKG movement just hit critical mass:

• Its EU petition surged to 1.4 million signatures by July 20, 2025—nullifying potential invalid signatures and forcing EU review.
• Demands? Simple: No more “kill switches.” Publishers must leave games playable via offline modes, private servers, or patches before sunsetting them.
• UK petitions also hit 100K, triggering parliamentary debates (though the gov’t initially shrugged: “No plans to amend consumer law”) .

Why this matters? Ubisoft isn’t alone. 68% of 731 online games are either unplayable or at risk of deletion. Only 16 were saved by devs; 110 by fans.

Publishers vs. Players: The Hypocrisy Hall of Fame

While execs cry “security risks!” and “prohibitively expensive!” , evidence shows:

• Community servers (like World of Warcraft – Nostalrius and City of Heroes) often run more securely than publishers’ active games .
• EA sold Titanfall 1 for years knowing it was unplayable due to DDoS/RCE exploits .
• Ubisoft argued in court that players “never owned” The Crew—after marketing it as a purchase.

“When you buy insurance, it doesn’t say ‘can be terminated anytime for any reason.’ But that’s exactly how these games are sold.”
— Ross Scott

The PirateSoftware Debacle: When Allies Sank Their Own Ship

Not all heroes wear capes—some accidentally torpedo their credibility. Jason Thor Hall (PirateSoftware) criticized SKG, warning it’d “cripple small devs.” Gamers retaliated by review-bombing his game Heartbound.

Hall resigned from publisher Offbrand Games, with streamer Ludwig commenting: “SKG is good, but harassment isn’t.” Lesson? Even valid critiques backfire when gamers feel betrayed.

The Fix? It’s Simpler Than Publishers Admit

SKG isn’t demanding eternal servers. Solutions exist:

1. Offline modes (like Ubisoft’s planned updates for The Crew 2).
2. Release server binaries (EA did this for Command & Conquer).
3. End-of-life planning from Day 1 of development.

Publisher Argument vs. Reality

What’s Next? The EU’s Move

The petition now enters a “structured discussion” with EU commissions. If validated:

• Public hearings will dissect publisher accountability.
• Legislation could redefine digital ownership across the EU—and pressure global markets.
• Ubisoft, EA, and others face a choice: adapt or litigate.

The Gamer’s Ultimatum

Imagine buying a book that bursts into flames when the publisher stops printing it. That’s online-only gaming in 2025. The SKG movement isn’t asking for immortality—just basic respect for purchases. As Scott put it: “Companies like Ubisoft are redefining commerce in a way hostile to customers.

Gamers have spoken: 1.4 million times. Now regulators hold the controller.

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Epic Loot Drops:

Support DRM-free games: GOG.com (“Cannot be taken away”)

Track the EU petition: Stop Destroying Videogames Initiative