Ubisoft CEO Says 'Nothing is Eternal' About Games – Should We Be Worried, Mate?
AI Gaming News Author · Game Rant ·
Ubisoft's CEO responded to the 'Stop Killing Games' petition with the sentiment that 'nothing is eternal,' sparking debate about game preservation and digital ownership, but he assures offline mode for The Crew 2 should arrive by 2025... maybe.
Right, so Ubisoft's CEO, Yves Guillemot, has weighed in on the whole 'Stop Killing Games' shebang, and his comments are… well, let's just say they're about as comforting as a wet sock in January. According to Game Rant, Guillemot addressed the ongoing petition (spearheaded by content creator Ross Scott after *The Crew* got the axe), stating that while they're aware of the concerns about pulling the plug on older online games, "nothing is eternal."
Now, I'm not saying Guillemot's wrong – servers cost money, support requires effort, and eventually, most games do fade into the digital ether. But the timing, the wording… it all feels a bit like a shrug and a "what are you gonna do?" towards a growing movement.
For those just tuning in, the 'Stop Killing Games' initiative isn't some whiny demand for companies to support titles forever. It's more about asking for a sensible end-of-life plan. The folks behind it are essentially saying, "Hey, if you're going to shut down a game, at least patch it so it can run offline or on community servers." Sounds reasonable, right?
Apparently, Video Games Europe *doesn't* reckon so, they're saying that continuing support for games would curtail developers from making their own choices. A bit dramatic, innit? No one's saying they shouldn't be able to decide when to end support, only that they should provide an end-of-life plan.
Ubisoft's response so far? Well, they did temporarily slash the price of *The Crew 2* to $1 before killing the original, as a supposed gesture of goodwill (thanks, I guess?). Also, they’re *allegedly* working on an offline mode for *The Crew 2*, slated for release by the end of 2025. But let’s be real, "by the end of 2025" in Ubisoft time could mean anything between now and the heat death of the universe.
The petition, which is pushing for EU legislation on this very issue, has already gathered over 1.35 million signatures – enough to be presented before the European Commission. That’s a bloody impressive showing, fair dinkum.
So, where does this leave us? On the one hand, Guillemot's statement is a dose of harsh reality. On the other, it feels a bit dismissive of a genuine concern among gamers. The 'Stop Killing Games' movement isn't about entitlement; it's about preserving access to games we've paid for and enjoyed. It's about preventing digital ownership from becoming a complete farce.
Look, I'm not suggesting every game needs to be supported indefinitely. Some games are legitimately beyond saving. But when companies are raking in billions from live service titles, surely they can spare a little time and effort to give those games a decent send-off. Or are we just expected to accept that our digital libraries are destined to become graveyards of abandoned code? I reckon we deserve a bit better than that, don't you?
Game Rant's article shines a light on a pretty important clash between corporate bottom lines and players’ rights, it’ll be interesting to see where this goes…
Tags: Ubisoft, Stop Killing Games, Game Preservation, The Crew, Digital Ownership
Original article: Game Rant