Overview

The Pirate Software "Stop Killing Games" Drama refers to controversy over content creator and Twitch streamer Pirate Software taking a stance against the Stop Killing Games (SKG) campaign, which aims to push legislation in the EU and U.K. to stop video game publishers from making games unplayable by consumers after their servers have been taken offline without upfront transparency towards the consumer regarding when the game might be made unavailable. Pirate Software spoke against the initiative in August 2024 and the drama began months later in June 2025 after Ross Scott (also known as Accursed Farms) made an update video on the project in which he spends most of the time directly addressing Pirate Software as their "biggest critic" and criticizing his framing of Stop Killing Games, pointing out several instances of Pirate Software purportedly misunderstanding and misrepresenting what SKG aims to do. Scott's response subsequently inspired a wave of criticism towards Pirate Software online. Pirate Software responded with a series of tweets, one of which was deleted, in which he largely doubles down on his opinions about SKG.

Background

Stop Killing Games

The Stop Killing Games initiative is a series of government petitions aimed at preventing publishers from revoking the ability to play video games, such as live service games, that have already been purchased in full by their players. The campaign was launched on April 2nd, 2024, by YouTuber and content creator Ross Scott, also known as Accursed Farms.

The initiative's objectives are stated on the European Citizens' Initiative^[1] website, reading:

This initiative calls to require publishers that sell or license videogames to consumers in the European Union (or related features and assets sold for videogames they operate) to leave said videogames in a functional (playable) state.

Specifically, the initiative seeks to prevent the remote disabling of videogames by the publishers, before providing reasonable means to continue functioning of said videogames without the involvement from the side of the publisher.

The initiative does not seek to acquire ownership of said videogames, associated intellectual rights or monetization rights, neither does it expect the publisher to provide resources for the said videogame once they discontinue it while leaving it in a reasonably functional (playable) state.

Pirate Software's "Stop Killing Games" Criticism

On August 6th, 2024, streamer and content creator Pirate Software posted a video on YouTube^[2] titled "Stop Killing Games," garnering over 1.2 million views in 10 months. In the video, Pirate Software criticizes the Stop Killing Games campaign, starting the video by saying he wouldn't sign the petition even if he could.

Pirate Software also criticizes the main stated objective of the initiative. He calls it vague and criticizes the movement for, as he understands it, targeting all live service games, saying it will hurt them. He uses League of Legends as an example. Pirate Software suggests there is no good way to make the game playable without its client-server structure.

Pirate Software then criticizes SKG's example of how Ubisoft took its racing game The Crew offline when it purportedly had a player base of around 12 million people. He mentions that most games' player bases dwindle over time and that the more players there are on a game, the more it costs to run the servers and upkeep the game.

He talks about how they shut the game down after 10 years, calling it "normal" and pointing out that the game was always advertised as being online only, saying it makes sense for the access to be cut in that case. Pirate Software then admits that if the game had a single-player component to it that was shut down with the online component, that would be unacceptable. He shows the player-base graph for the game on Steam, suggesting a fall in players over the years.

Further, he talks about how the licensing for the cars in the game was likely expiring, and it would be expensive to renew, and how two sequels to the game have been released, as points of defense for shutting down The Crew. Pirate Software suggests that if game devs are no longer allowed to make online only, live service games and need to include single-player components, they will simply stop making these games, saying we'll never see games like Final Fantasy XIV and Pokemon GO again.

Pirate Software then directly criticizes Ross Scott's video about the campaign, suggesting it's foolish of him to think it will be an "easy win" and further calling the message of the campaign too vague. When Scott mentions that he wants game companies to stop destroying games that have been purchased, Pirate Software claims that when you buy a live service game, you're not buying the game but a license to the game, according to the terms of service.

He then calls out Scott for saying that the initiative is a "diversion from more serious topics" they might not want to deal with, calling his tactics "disgusting." Pirate Software concludes the video by saying that, in the case that a studio is making a live service game and they sell it as a product, rather than a license, that should not be allowed.

Pirate Software went on to criticize the campaign more during future livestreams.

Developments

Ross Scott's Response

On June 23rd, 2025, Ross Scott posted a video to the Accursed Farms YouTube^[3] channel titled, "The end of Stop Killing Games," garnering over 450,000 views in three days. At the 18:38 timestamp, Scott addresses Pirate Software's claims about the initiative, looking to debunk and push back against his understanding of SKG.

He begins the video by calling Pirate Software the campaign's biggest critic and saying that if all you know about SKG is Pirate Software's video, you've been misinformed. He says Pirate Software is too influential to ignore any longer and that he has spoken about SKG too many times in an incorrect way during streams.

First, Scott claims that Pirate Software does not understand what SKG is. Scott shows a clip of Pirate Software attempting to explain what the campaign is about, but Scott says he "made it up" and that it is not only about single-player games that require an online connection.

He continues and says that the main initiative is to "require video game publishers to implement end-of-life plans when shutting down games they have sold, so customers can continue running them without their support." Scott shows a more detailed explanation of their initiative and insists they simply want clearer end-of-life plans for consumers.

Scott then says the idea that they want game publishers to convert all multiplayer-only games into single-player games is false. He says that SKG is not against the existence of live service games, but the practice of publishers destroying them with no recourse for the customer. He states, "If we didn't like the games in the first place, why would we care if they were getting destroyed?"

Scott says that SKG's problem is not with licenses to games failing to inform consumers, their problem is that the terms are hostile to consumers and should be taken off the table. He states that the basic rules of commerce are that you get to keep what you buy, or you are informed upfront when access ends.

He then plays a clip of Ross criticizing the idea that studios should run their live service games forever, with Scott claiming that Pirate Software skipped over the part where he wrote that wasn't their goal. Scott shows a clip of Pirate Software suggesting all MMOs would be dead if this passed, with Scott saying it wouldn't. He then criticizes the idea that the campaign is vague, suggesting Pirate Software didn't read most of the more in-depth details of the campaign's goals.

Scott admits that the statement in the objective reading, "leaving [the game] in a reasonably functional (playable) state" is vague and would vary between an MMO and an arena shooter, for example. He says this is intentional to show that they want to strike a balance between publishers and consumers, further explaining how initiatives like this work.

Scott shows a collage of clips of Pirate Software talking badly about SKG, criticizing him for being so aggressive with his language. He goes further into depth about end-of-life plans and what it might look like to run a live service game after it is sunsetted.

He then shows a clip of Pirate Software reading a message that he sent to him about the initiative and his misunderstandings. In the messages, Scott uses World of Warcraft as an example of a game that would be exempt from SKG's initiatives, because it is a "true service" under law, as players are explicitly told when their access ends. He additionally criticizes Pirate Software for refusing to talk with him in person for finding him "disengenuous." Scott explains why he believes in SKG and insists he's passionate about it, not disingenuous.

Scott shows a list of games that run the risk of being shut off in the future, many of which he points out have single-player campaigns, but he believes "require more than a simple DRM check." He says that he and Pirate Software are on opposing sides, saying Pirate Software is wrong to paint himself as interested in game preservation.

Pirate Software's Reactions

On June 23rd, 2025, Pirate Software purportedly made and deleted a post on X (reuploaded by X^[4] user @Scary_Triangle) in which he responds to backlash towards him incited by Scott's video. In the post, he largely criticizes Scott's community for brigading his streams and being toxic.

On June 25th, Pirate Software posted another response to X,^[5] garnering over 2,900 likes in a day. In the response, he clarifies why he is against the initiative. In the post, he again talks about the issue of leaving games in a "functional playable state," reiterating that it's not possible for all games, in his opinion, writing:

This is not feasible for all games at a technical level and could potentially restrict developers from making online-only games like MMOs, MOBAs, and User Generated Content games in the future. That list is not exhaustive and it doesn't matter if you do or don't like those kinds of games.

Effectively, this has the potential to restrict future developers from making kick-ass experiences because it locks a weight on their designs.

Pirate Software also refutes the idea that he benefits from keeping live service games in their current state, writing that he is developing a single-player RPG and that he gets paid minimum wage for his role at his game studio, offering proof, because of his passion for game development. He encourages everyone to form their own opinions on SKG and go from there.

Online Reactions

The drama was widely discussed online in late June 2025, inspiring other content creators to make videos covering it.

For example, on June 24th, 2025, YouTuber^[6] Penguinz0 (Critikal) posted a video on the drama, garnering over 2.5 million views in two days.

Numerous posts discussing Pirate Software and the Stop Killing Games controversy also appeared on Reddit in late June 2025, particularly on the /r/LivestreamFail^[7][8][9] subreddit.

On June 25th, 2025, Redditor TheCherryPi post a meme to the /r/dankmemes^[10] subreddit including image of Pirate Software and YandereDev under the title "A Developer never admits his mistakes Jack" (notably using an image from Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance), receiving over 6,300 upvotes and 310 comments in 18 hours.

Search Interest

External References