A group called Stop Killing Games is lobbying for consumer protection laws after major publishers shut down online game servers, leaving players unable to access titles they purchased.
Players have little recourse when developers discontinue online games. BioWare shut down Anthem's servers in January after seven years. Electronic Arts discontinued The Sims Mobile the same month. Wildlight Entertainment closed Highguard servers without warning.
Stop Killing Games argues that shuttering servers effectively kills games consumers bought, similar to a retailer repossessing physical goods. The activist group is pushing regulators to require developers maintain servers or release source code so communities can run private servers.
The campaign highlights a growing tension between digital ownership and publisher control. Unlike physical media, online games depend entirely on company-maintained infrastructure. When that shuts down, the product disappears permanently.
Several countries are considering regulatory approaches. The group has filed petitions in multiple jurisdictions and gained support from consumer advocacy organizations. Their core demand: games should remain playable after publishers discontinue official support.
California's proposed wealth tax on billionaires has qualified for the November ballot after collecting sufficient signatures, despite opposition from tech moguls and Governor Gavin Newsom.
Turkish regulators have approved Uber's acquisition of Getir's delivery business for $335 million, contingent on a $500 million investment commitment. Uber is also purchasing a 15% stake in Getir for $100 million.
Jio Platforms, India's largest wireless operator with over 526 million subscribers, has filed draft papers for an initial public offering expected to rank among India's biggest IPO deals ever. The company is owned by billionaire Mukesh Ambani.
India's move to block Telegram has triggered a surge in VPN downloads and migration to competing messaging apps. Telegram is pushing back, arguing selective content removal is preferable to a platform-wide ban.