Stop Killing Games forms NGOs in EU and US to fight game shutdowns

Stop Killing Games launches official NGOs

The advocacy group Stop Killing Games is establishing two official non-governmental organizations. Founder Ross Scott announced the move, which will create one NGO in the European Union and another in the United States.

This formal structure aims to give the movement long-term political influence. The goal is to lobby for regulations that would prevent publishers from permanently shutting down and rendering purchased games unplayable.

The fight for digital ownership

Stop Killing Games gained prominence in 2024 following Ubisoft's shutdown of its online racing game, The Crew. The action, which made the game completely inaccessible, sparked outrage over digital ownership.

Scott's campaign collected 1.3 million petition signatures, forcing consideration by the European Union. While Ubisoft's CEO stated that "nothing is forever," the company pledged not to repeat the The Crew shutdown.

The new NGOs will focus on sustained political pressure. "This will allow us to do long-term counter lobbying on this issue," Scott said in a video announcement.

New leadership takes the baton

German political operative Moritz Katzner will lead the EU NGO and advise the US effort. Katzner has been involved with Stop Killing Games since 2025.

Scott, who has expressed exhaustion after a decade of advocacy, is stepping back from day-to-day operations. He compared his role to handing off a baton in a relay race.

"In my opinion, he's been doing as much for the movement in the political sphere as I did on the issue on everything prior to that," Scott said of Katzner.

A skeptical view of US change

Scott remains doubtful that the NGO will force major industry changes, particularly in the United States. "I would love to have my cynicism proven wrong," he stated.

He argues that fixing "end-of-life" plans for games costs publishers very little compared to their lobbying efforts. The financial incentives for the industry's resistance are clearer on other fronts, he notes.

• Fighting regulation of predatory monetization protects billions in revenue from microtransactions.
• Fixing game shutdown protocols, however, is "peanuts" in comparison and would improve customer relations.

Scott believes the NGOs will, at minimum, keep attention on the issue and enable more watchdog actions against future shutdowns.

A potential global movement

The two new organizations may be just the start. Scott indicated the NGOs are looking at establishing a broader "global movement."

This could give Stop Killing Games a formal presence in other regions beyond Europe and North America. Specific details on this expansion are not yet available.

For now, Scott says his future involvement will likely be limited to endorsing initiatives. His sole focus remains getting the core problem of game destruction addressed through political and legal channels.