The UK government has responded to a petition urging them to regulate video game publishers to ensure games remain playable even after support ends. This comes after the closure of The Crew, a ten-year-old Ubisoft racing game, earlier this year.

The petition called for government intervention to prevent games from becoming unplayable when online servers are shut down. In response, the government clarified that while there is no legal requirement for companies to support older versions of their software, they must comply with consumer protection laws.

The closure of The Crew’s servers left the game unplayable, even in single-player mode, as it lacked an offline feature. This led YouTuber Ross Scott to launch a campaign named Stop Killing Games, advocating against forced video game obsolescence.

The government’s response highlighted that digital content, including video games, must meet certain quality standards and be as described by the seller. If a game fails to meet these standards, it may be considered a breach of consumer rights.

Furthermore, if a game is advertised as playable indefinitely for specific systems, it should remain technically feasible to play, even after the end of physical support. The response emphasized the importance of consumer rights and the need for transparency in the gaming industry.