The “Stop Killing Games” movement holds particular relevance for Ubisoft, which is currently facing a lawsuit over its decision to shut down servers for “The Crew” last year. During a recent shareholders` meeting, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot addressed the movement`s objectives, stating that games are not intended to “last forever.”
Guillemot`s remarks from the meeting emphasized that while publishers provide a service, “nothing is eternal.” He added, “Support for all games cannot last forever.” He assured that Ubisoft is striving to manage these transitions smoothly for players and buyers, acknowledging it as an industry-wide concern focused on minimizing negative impact.
Initiated last year by YouTube host Ross Scott following the shutdown of “The Crew,” the “Stop Killing Games” movement questions the legal and ethical implications of publishers discontinuing games previously sold to consumers. In response, Video Games Europe, an EU lobbying association, argued that mandating the indefinite preservation of older games would restrict developer freedom and make game creation excessively costly.
Ubisoft is not alone in this practice; other companies are also decommissioning older titles. For instance, BioWare`s “Anthem” is scheduled to cease operations in January 2026, and Sony`s “Concord” was shut down within weeks of its release last year.
Sony`s Live-Service Game Status Report
A look at the status of some live-service games, including those canceled, released, or shut down:
