Expert Casts Doubt on Stop Killing Games Supporters’ Push to Sue Sony

The Stop Killing Games movement faces significant legal obstacles in its push to change regulations around game shutdowns, according to gaming policy expert Seila Pontin of Flux Digital Policy.

The movement began after Ubisoft shut down the servers for The Crew. Despite strong player support and related consumer campaigns such as “Time to Sue Sony,” experts doubt the initiative will succeed in enacting new legislation.

Pontin considers the players’ demands legally complex. The primary issue stems from how digital storefronts operate: modern digital purchases are generally treated as temporary access licenses rather than actual ownership of the software.

The structure of modern games further complicates the situation. Pontin explained that games combine numerous copyrighted assets, including source code, licensed music, voice acting, and art. Demands to transfer discontinued games to the community or allow private servers run into substantial intellectual property barriers.

European authorities continue to discuss the termination of digital services. However, resistance from publishers and the complexity of copyright law make legislative reform favoring players unlikely.

Source: iXBT.games