From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action


Remember the Stop Killing Games initiative? Prompted into action by
Ubisoft unilaterally shutting down the game "The Crew", it had its
brief moment in the sun --even getting so far as to get its petition
for a response answered in the UK parliament-- but nothing effectual
has come of it. But the movement obviously isn't dead yet, as SKG is
assisting in a lawsuit by UFC-Que Choisir (a French consumer
association) against Ubisoft for rendering "The Crew" 'permanenently
unplayable for all who bought it'.*

Now, personally I don't think this is going to go anywhere. There is,
sadly, enough legal precedent about how digital properties are merely
licensed, not owned, and therefore Ubisoft's actions are only the
termination of a contract and not the theft of property it might
otherwise appear. And while there are countries where legal precedent
no longer matters, France is not one of those ridiculous nations. So
all this case is likely to do is reinforce that what Ubisoft did is
perfectly legitimate and acceptable.

That said, neither am I totally against the case, as it highlights the imbalance of rights between consumer and publisher and the fragility
of allowing corporations total control of our arts and culture. Plus,
even if Ubisoft is likely to win, any lawsuit is an annoyance, and I'm
all for causing that skeevy company more pain. You brought this on
yourself, Ubisoft!

Sadly, I think the odds are weighted too heavily against the Stop
Killing Games initiative; there's just too much money, precedent and
inertia working against them. But I'm happy to see them still fighting
on the side of the angels, even if the battle isn't something they're
going to win.






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* there's an article about it here https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/french-consumer-group-sues-ubisoft-110240285.html


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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action


And in more SKG ("Stop Killing Games") news, frontsman Ross Scott and
organizer Mortiz Katzner recently made their appeal before the
European Parliament.* The SKG campaign is a reaction to publishers
pulling the plug on games in a way that gamers can no longer access or
play the products they paid for. Their goal is to legislate that in
future publishers will have to provide some avenue to gamers so they
can keep using the paid-for product.

Reportedly the EU Parliament responded favorably to their case, which
I'm sure is quite satisfying to Ross Scott, who has been banging the
drum for two years now. I'm less sanguine that this actually MEANS
anything. Money talks, and the publishers have a lot of financial
incentive to not change how they do things now (although that's less
about the acquittal cost of providing end-users with tools, and more
with keeping iron-fisted control over their IP). So until I start
seeing actual legislation get passed enforcing these ideals, I'll
remain skeptical.

But good on Ross Scott for keeping SKG in the news. I agree with his
ideals; I'm just too cynical to believe in him actualizing them. ;-)






* story here https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/stop-killing-games-delivers-absolutely-incredible-hearing-in-european-parliament-there-was-no-parliament-member-that-wasnt-responding-positively/



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