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Time of India

What is the Stop Killing Games movement? Viral clash between Accursed Farms and Pirate Software explained

(Image via YouTube/@Accursed_Farms & @PirateSoftware) At the heart of a growing online movement, Stop Killing Games calls out developers for pulling the plug on live-service games too early. Created by YouTuber Ross Scott (Accursed Farms), it quickly gained support until Twitch streamer and indie dev Pirate Software pushed back. What started as a campaign for game preservation has now spiraled into a full-blown creator feud. Here's what's going on. What is Stop Killing Games? Launched in April 2024 by Ross Scott, the Stop Killing Games movement is all about preserving access to online games, especially after official support ends. Ross argues that when studios make a game dependent on servers and later shut them down, they're essentially selling something with an expiration date… without telling players. It's 'planned obsolescence,' he says — unfair to buyers and harmful to gaming history. The movement has gained real-world traction, too, with petitions in Europe aiming to legally require publishers to offer offline versions or alternatives when live-service titles go dark. Stop Killing Games Pirate Software Calls It Out Not everyone agreed with Ross's plan, most notably, Pirate Software (real name Jason Thor Hall). In a widely shared YouTube video, Pirate Software called the movement vague , unrealistic , and even dangerous to game devs. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like We Can't Believe She Wore That To The Red Carpet Golfhooked Read More Undo He argued that: The initiative is too broad and lacks clear solutions. It creates legal and technical burdens that most indie studios can't afford. It could hurt the industry by setting unrealistic expectations for all online games. Pirate also criticized Ross's suggestion to use this as a political tool, claiming it misdirects lawmakers from more urgent tech issues. The end of Stop Killing Games Accursed Farms Responds Ross didn't let that slide. He later addressed Pirate's critiques in an interview and a dedicated FAQ video, claiming Pirate had misrepresented the campaign's goals. According to Ross: The initiative isn't about keeping every live-service game alive forever. It's about offering basic access to purchased games, even post-shutdown. Pirate's comments hurt momentum during a crucial phase. 'It's unfortunate. I offered to talk with him about it.' Ross said. 'If you hate the initiative, you hate it, but at least hate it for what it is.' Signature Struggles & Blame Game As the deadline for the European Citizens' Initiative approached, only 47% of the required signatures had been collected. Ross claimed that Pirate Software's viral criticism stalled the campaign's momentum. He even uploaded a video on June 23, 2025, accusing Hall of 'lying' and making it harder for the petition to succeed. He said that: 'This put me in a no-win scenario, too, because if I ignored it, then a lot of people would get misinformed about the campaign, and if I did a response video, it would look like drama-farming.' Stop Killing Games... Who Supports the Movement? Despite the clash, Stop Killing Games still has powerful supporters. Big-name creators like MoistCritikal and SomeOrdinaryGamers have publicly backed Ross. Their argument? Preserving games isn't just nostalgic — it's about protecting a digital legacy. As SomeOrdinaryGamers put it: 'If we don't fight for this now, our gaming history might just vanish.' Whether you're Team Ross or Team Pirate, one thing's clear — this debate hits deeper than just two creators. It's about what we, as players, own when we buy a game… and what happens when that access disappears. Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.