Why Pirate Software Isn’t a Fan of the Stop Killing Games Petition

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Since its inception in 2024, streamer Jason “Thor” Hall, a former Blizzard Entertainment developer, has consistently voiced his disagreement with the Stop Killing Games movement. He’s expressed his thoughts across various platforms such as YouTube videos, Twitch livestream discussions, and Twitter posts. However, many gaming enthusiasts are puzzled about why Thor, who is renowned for his ardor towards the video game industry, would be at odds with an initiative that seems to promote saving endangered games.

The “Stop Killing Games” Campaign, initiated by Ross Scott, is an online petition aimed at advocating for EU consumer protection laws to prohibit game developers from arbitrarily shutting down video games. Although the idea might appear simple, Pirate Software has expressed opposition to this movement, expressing concerns about potential negative impacts on developers. This stance by Pirate Software has stirred up controversy, leading to incidents like Thor being targeted and receiving numerous threats. Now, there’s a growing interest in what Thor has to say about the “Stop Killing Games” movement, given the strong response it’s elicited from the gaming community.

Pirate Software apparently disagrees with the Stop Killing Games petition for three primary reasons:

1) He thinks the request’s expectations might not be achievable in every game scenario.
2) It may deter game developers from producing live-service games, which could lead to a decrease in innovative titles.
3) The petition’s ambiguous language appears to demand that “all games” should remain accessible, a proposition Pirate Software considers impractical and unrealistic.

Additionally, Pirate Software has circulated a link to a blog post discussing potential legal inconsistencies. This suggests the proposed legislation could lead to unnecessary government intervention, which he argues could be detrimental to creative freedom within the gaming industry.

The Backlash Against Pirate Software Explained

Despite Pirate Software (Thor) criticizing the SKG movement in 2024, his more recent remarks have provoked fresh criticism from certain gaming communities. A significant portion of this backlash is due to comments perceived as against the interest of consumers. For instance, during a stream, Thor stated, “I think live-service games getting shut down is acceptable; I don’t mind the end of a game.” This viewpoint has been seen by many as salt in the wound, given recent game shutdowns and escalating gamer concerns about DRM.

Many backers of SKG (Save Konstructive Gaming), including well-known YouTube personalities such as Charles White Jr. and penguinz0, have voiced criticisms towards Pirate Software. They contend that Thor has misinterpreted the true objectives of the petition, which aren’t primarily aimed at eliminating live-service games or forcing all games to convert into offline single-player formats, as he suggested.

As a dedicated gamer, I felt compelled to clear up some misconceptions about my creation, SKG (Save-Koji-Game). In response to Thor’s assertions, I, Ross Scott, released a YouTube video explaining that Thor may have misunderstood the true intent of our petition.

SKG is not just about shutting down games, but rather, it’s about ensuring game developers establish end-of-life plans for their games. This means, if a game reaches its “end of life,” it can continue to run on community or private servers, giving players the chance to keep playing their beloved games indefinitely.

My ongoing disagreement with Pirate Software demonstrates that we both strongly believe in our respective views. Whether this disagreement affects the momentum of the petition is yet to be seen. I’m eagerly watching how things unfold.

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2025-07-07 12:43