PirateSoftware, a well-known game developer and streamer, is getting criticized after allegedly mischaracterizing the “Stop Killing Games” campaign during a recent livestream.
The content creator, also known as Jason ‘Thor’ Hall, reportedly framed the consumer rights initiative as demanding unlimited ongoing support and development from game studios— a portrayal that SKG supporters quickly contested as way off base.
Stop Killing Games, started by YouTuber Ross Scott of “Freeman’s Mind,” is actually about something a lot more specific: making sure that games people have bought remain playable even after publishers stop supporting them. The campaign asks companies to either patch games for offline play or allow the community to host their own servers when the official ones are shut down.
“If I buy a game that’s single player I should be able to play it in the future,” explained one supporter. “I spent money to buy a game, I wasn’t sold a subscription.”
This situation shows growing tensions around digital ownership in gaming. As more games require online authentication or use “games as a service” models, players are finding that games they’ve paid for are suddenly unplayable when companies pull the plug on servers.
A recent example is Ubisoft’s shutdown of servers for The Crew, which rendered the game completely unplayable, even for those who had paid full price. Stuff like this has galvanized the SKG movement, which makes a clear distinction between subscription-based games like MMOs and standard games you just pay for once.
PirateSoftware’s comments have split the gaming community. Some viewers sided with his doubts about whether it’s practical to keep old games going forever, while others pointed out that this really isn’t what SKG is asking for. The campaign isn’t demanding that every game get endless support, but rather that people should keep access to games they’ve already paid for.
It’s not the first time PirateSoftware has been criticized for strong opinions on industry topics. As a public figure in game dev circles, what he says carries some weight—so getting things right matters a lot.
The SKG campaign currently has petitions in the UK, EU, and other regions, aiming to establish laws that protect gamers’ rights on digital purchases. Their ideas offer practical solutions to help make sure owners can keep playing their games, not extra demands on developers.
