UK Government Cites Concord During Debate About Consumer Protections For Gamers

A little over a year ago, Sony unexpectedly closed down the game Concord and offered refunds just two weeks after it launched, as it didn’t attract enough players. Now, the failure of Concord is being cited as a reason to strengthen consumer rights for gamers, during discussions in the UK’s House of Lords.

According to Eurogamer, a Member of Parliament mentioned the rapid failure of Concord as a reason to support the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024.

I believe everyone here will agree that game publishers need to be responsible if they don’t clearly state how long a game will be available when it’s sold. That’s why I’m pleased with the new consumer protections, especially the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, which started this year. This law correctly requires companies to give consumers clear, up-to-date, and accurate information about digital products, including how long they’ll work and what features they’ll have.

When Ubisoft decided to shut down The Crew, it sparked the ‘Stop Killing Games’ campaign and a legal challenge from disappointed players. MP Ben Goldsborough then led a discussion about the campaign’s aims, bringing the issue to light.

According to Goldsborough, players feel a strong connection to games because they put more than just money into them – they invest their time, energy, creativity, and relationships. When a game unexpectedly closes, that investment is essentially lost. This situation raises questions about fairness, accountability, and the importance of preserving gaming as a creative and cultural achievement that the UK can be proud of.

The UK Parliament has published a report on this issue, but unfortunately, it concludes that there are currently no plans to change the law regarding video games being taken offline. The report points to existing laws – like the Consumer Rights Act of 2015 and the Digital Markets Competition and Consumers Act 2024 – as the current legal protections available to gamers.

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2025-11-04 00:09