Ubisoft's top executive has weighed in on the ongoing "Stop Killing Games" campaign, an initiative demanding that game developers implement offline modes for titles that currently rely on an internet connection or active servers to function.
The campaign has seen resounding success, gathering over one million signatures, which officially qualifies it as a European Citizens' Initiative. Its core demand: games that have been purchased should remain playable even after servers are shut down.
This topic came up during Ubisoft's recent annual general meeting, where a shareholder directly questioned Guillemot about the controversial shutdown of The Crew in March last year, a move that effectively ignited the entire movement.
Guillemot's response? He defended the company's actions as reasonable, arguing that all online games receive strong support throughout their lifespan, but that ultimately, everything must come to an end. His exact words:
"Support for all games cannot last forever."
He also pointed out that Ubisoft gives players 30 days' notice before shutting down a service, which he claims is in line with industry norms. Guillemot emphasized that Ubisoft views games as services, not permanent products, and added that they're working on offline modes for The Crew 2 and Motorfest.
As for the Stop Killing Games initiative, several politicians — including European Parliament Vice President Nicolae Ștefănuță — have voiced their support, arguing that "the game belongs to the buyer, not the company." Meanwhile, the lobbying group Video Games Europe has raised concerns about rising development costs and potential legal complications.
What do you think? Should games be considered services, or lasting products once bought?