What is Stop Killing Games? Pirate Software drama explained

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The video game developer and Twitch streamer known as Pirate Software finds himself at the heart of a heated online dispute, sparked by Accursed Farms, another content creator, regarding the Stop Killing Games initiative.

Back in April 2024, the “End Violent Games” campaign was launched for the very first time by Accursed Farms, also known as Ross Scott, who manages a popular YouTube channel boasting more than 360,000 subscribers.

As a passionate gamer, I’m all for the grassroots initiative that’s urging game developers to think beyond the end of official support for live-service or online games. In essence, it’s about ensuring these games don’t become obsolete and keeping the multiplayer experience alive even after their ‘best before’ date. The movement is called Stop Killing Games, a call for developers to find ways to keep these digital worlds thriving long after their prime.

Advocates contend that a growing trend in video game sales involves them being treated like physical items, without any specified expiration date, yet they become entirely unusable once the publisher stops providing updates or support.

This approach embodies the concept of deliberate aging or ‘planned obsolescence,’ which can be harmful to consumers as it often renders repair or preservation impractical. Moreover, the legal status of such practices remains unclear in numerous nations.

So far, it has presented numerous petitions in countries like the UK, Australia, France, and Germany, with ongoing efforts for another one aimed at the European Citizens’ Initiative. If the required number of signatures is achieved, there’s a high likelihood that the European Commission will enact legislation to safeguard online games.

Pirate Software speaks out against Stop Killing Games

Despite the general acclaim for the “Stop Killing Games” initiative, a notable figure within the gaming industry raised doubts about this campaign.

Under the alias Pirate Software, Jason Thor Hall released a YouTube video countering Scott’s “Stop Killing Games” campaign. He criticized the initiative as overly ambiguous, claiming it was impractical and setting a problematic example for something that appears meaningless.

Moreover, it seemed that Hall found fault with Ross’s statement suggesting that the movement was employed to divert politicians from urgent issues by instead offering them a seemingly straightforward problem to address.

Hall commented that the proposal is overly inclusive and could negatively impact all ongoing video games. To put it simply, he will not endorse the campaign titled ‘Stop Killing Games.’ He firmly believes that the terminology used in this initiative is unclear and potentially harmful to other sectors of our gaming industry.

Accursed Farms responds to Pirate Software’s criticisms

After releasing this video, Hall further discussed the topic through multiple online posts and comments over the subsequent year. Then, in March 2025, Ross provided a counterargument in a YouTube video uploaded to the Tech Over Tea channel.

The key point from Pirate Software’s discussion is that he didn’t accurately portray the essence of the movement. Whether this was deliberate or not remains uncertain… he appears to view everything as being in good order, according to Ross.

It’s regrettable, but I suggested discussing it with him directly. If you dislike the idea, feel free to do so, just make sure your disapproval is directed towards the concept itself.

Additionally, Ross released a question-and-answer video on his personal channel, providing clear information and additional perspectives regarding the controversy surrounding Stop Killing Games, addressing the doubts expressed by Pirate Software.

Stop Killing Games signature deadline nears its end

As a dedicated gamer, I can’t help but feel a pang of concern as the deadline for the Stop Killing Games’ European Citizens’ Initiative approaches. Unfortunately, we’re still short by quite a bit, with only 47% of the necessary signatures gathered so far.

As an ardent follower, I took it upon myself to express my thoughts publicly regarding the unfortunate collapse of Stop Killing Games’ project. In a YouTube video uploaded on June 23, 2025, I voiced my disagreement with Pirate Software, stating that their portrayal of the movement was, in my opinion, misleading.

In this video release, we were gaining traction, but apart from a spike in Germany, the number of signatures seemed to decrease predictably, as if they were running out one by one, according to a schedule or clock. This is how Ross put it.

In this situation, I found myself stuck between a rock and a hard place as well. If I chose not to address it, there’s a risk that many people might receive incorrect information regarding the campaign. On the other hand, producing a response video could potentially give the impression of sensationalizing the situation, or “drama-farming.

Ross contends that because Pirate has a substantial online presence, his critical videos about the initiative have likely deterred people from adding their names to the petition, which is due to close on June 31, 2025.

To this very moment, I continue to receive numerous messages and communications regarding misinformation spread through Hall’s video about the campaign. At present, there’s nothing left for me to protect. If we fail to gather the necessary signatures, it won’t make a difference in the end, regardless.

Many well-known video game content creators such as MoistCritikal and SomeOrdinaryGamers have expressed their support for Ross and the “Save Games” campaign by sharing videos highlighting the movement, with the goal of getting the petition signed and ensuring that games continue to exist.

According to SomeOrdinaryGamers, there are numerous video games from my childhood that I adored and still do. He emphasized that if we establish these laws today, it ensures that future generations, perhaps for the next 200-300 years, will be able to enjoy and preserve our games.

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2025-06-25 00:18