Despite players' concerns, the country's government will let developers dictate how long their games stay around and remain playable.
The UK government will not extend consumer laws that could prevent live-service games from being shuttered.
Players in the country have previously called on regulators to address the issue, which gained greater significance after Ubisoft's sudden takedown of The Crew in early 2024. The hope, according to the 'Stop Destroying Video Games' initiative (spun up after The Crew's shuttering), is for developers to leave online games in a playable state after ending development rather than completely shut them down.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) replied to a petition on the matter, saying it has "no plans" to amend UK law to address the phenomenon. It reiterated game sellers "must comply with existing requirements in consumer law and we will continue to monitor this issue."
"We are aware of issues relating to the life-span of digital content, including video games, and we appreciate the concerns of players of some games that have been discontinued," reads the Department's statement. "However, there is no requirement in UK law for software companies to support older versions of their products. [...] There may be occasions where companies make decisions based on the high running costs of maintaining older servers for games with declining user bases."
Even so, the DCMS said it will "monitor this issue and consider the relevant work of the Competition and Market Authority (CMA) on consumer rights and consumer detriment."
The DCMS' refusal to extend consumer laws puts up a roadblock for those in the UK who want to ensure games stay alive longer than a few years.
Game preservation takes on many forms, and developers have made efforts to keep their online games around after ending development. For some, this just means keeping the game purchasable and playable, as is the case with BioWare and Anthem.
In other instances, it's providing players with a means to play those titles without an internet connection. In response to player backlash, Ubisoft is creating offline modes for The Crew 2 and The Crew Motorfest. Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League and Redfall similarly got offline modes after their respective developers ended support or closed down.
Multiplayer-focused games are being delisted and retired at a faster rate than before, and not every developer can meet the demand to keep those titles alive. Even if they do, it may not be enough: players of the first Crew game filed a lawsuit against Ubisoft, alleging the studio had "duped" them.
That the UK government has addressed the matter shows it's gaining traction, as does its assurance to monitor games to ensure these delistings aren't violating consumer laws.
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