Latest news with #OffbrandGames
Express Tribune
06-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Pirate Software responds after ‘Stop Killing Games' petition passes one million signatures
Pirate Software has responded publicly after receiving death threats following the Stop Killing Games campaign reaching over one million signatures. The Stop Killing Games initiative urges publishers to maintain access to digital games even after official support ends. On July 3, the petition surpassed one million signatures, with 1,156,315 supporters at the time of writing. Pirate Software, also known as Thor, had previously criticised the movement in 2024, calling its goals 'vague' and arguing that it sought 'rights that don't exist while ignoring the extensive protections that already do.' During a Twitch stream on July 4, Thor revealed the extent of the harassment he has faced since sharing his views on the campaign. 'I got swatted on Tuesday. I've been having constant calls to my cellphone. I had tens of thousands of death threats to myself and the rest of the moderation team,' he said. Thor also shared the personal attacks he and his team received, stating: 'I have been called corporate plant, degenerate, narcissist, nepobaby, and many other names. They attacked all of the accomplishments over my life despite physical evidence to prove to the contrary, and they also went after every job I ever held.' Concluding his message before returning to playing Dune: Awakening, Thor said, 'I hope that your initiative [SGF] gets everything that you asked for, but nothing you wanted.' Thor confirmed on July 3 via X/Twitter that he had left Ludwig's Offbrand Games due to the backlash, claiming people were 'attacking all of the games' the studio had published following his comments, which he described as 'unhinged.'
Time of India
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
'Thousands of death threats': Pirate Software quits Offbrand Games over Stop Killing Games controversy
(Image via @PirateSoftware/YouTube) The Stop Killing Games campaign has just crossed a major milestone—1 million signatures and counting. But instead of celebration across the board, it's also stirred controversy and backlash. Indie dev and streamer Pirate Software, also known as Thor, has responded after becoming a lightning rod for outrage from supporters of the movement. The Petition That Shook the Industry Stop Killing Games (SGF) started as a movement urging game publishers to maintain access to digital games, even after they lose official support. The argument? Players who paid for a game should be able to access it permanently. As of now, the petition has drawn over 1.15 million signatures. Pirate Software Pushes Back Pirate Software, who previously criticized the campaign for being too 'vague,' has found himself at the center of the storm. In a July 4 Twitch stream, Thor revealed the extreme fallout following his comments. 'I got swatted on Tuesday,' he said. He described receiving tens of thousands of death threats—not just toward him, but also directed at his moderation team. Constant phone calls, harassment, and doxxing followed. Pirate Software QUITS Game Development After Stop Killing Games Petition Success! 'Corporate Plant,' 'Nepobaby,' and Other Attacks Thor described the level of online harassment as relentless. According to him, users attacked his life's work and claimed he never held the jobs listed in his professional history, even in the face of proof. He added that he'd been called everything from 'corporate plant' to 'napobaby,' expressing visible frustration at how the campaign's success had turned into personal vendettas against him. Fallout From Offbrand Games The backlash wasn't limited to just words. On July 3, Thor announced on X (formerly Twitter) that he had stepped away from Offbrand Games, a studio founded by fellow creator Ludwig. He said supporters of the campaign began attacking all titles published by the studio simply due to his involvement, calling the behavior 'unhinged.' A Final Word to SGF Though clearly embattled, Thor didn't wish failure on the movement itself. Instead, he left viewers with a sharp message: 'I hope that your initiative [SGF] gets everything that you asked for, but nothing you wanted.' It's a statement layered in bitterness—possibly a wish for the movement to succeed on paper but fail in its spirit. Where This Leaves the Industry As SGF's petition grows, the debate over digital ownership is louder than ever. But Thor's experience raises a tough question: Can disagreement survive in online spaces without turning into personal destruction? While Stop Killing Games may want to protect digital access, this chapter highlights another issue that needs saving—civil discourse. For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here. Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
Time of India
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
"This kind of behavior Is unhinged": Pirate Software reacts to online criticism amid recent controversy
Image via: Twitch/Pirate Software Jason Hall , aka 'Thor,' the face of Pirate Software, has left Offbrand Games amid an absurd storm of internet criticism and review bombings precipitated by the stand he took against the growing Stop Killing Games (SKG) movement. This exit of Hall shows how a campaign originally aimed at preservation has moved into further encompassing the bigger option of holding a person accountable versus online outrage and parallel blurred lines of guilt by association. Controversy Clouds Game for the Wrong Reasons Rivals of Aether II was not under the spotlight as it was poorly launched or had badly designed gameplay;-it was a philosophical disagreement. On June 27, 2025, Ludwig Ahgren, Offbrand Games co-founder and huge stream personality, addressed the eerie infestation of negative reviews on the game's Steam page and lashing in frustration: 'Such a bummer Rivals 2 is getting any s**t for this... People are now review bombing the game because Pirate Software, who has no personal stake in the game, works at Offbrand Games? 😔 Feels wrong.' Although Hall had nothing to do with making the game, the mere association of his vocal presence with Offbrand's publishing label made Rivals 2 inadvertently borne of the impact of review bombings. Pirate Software Responds to the Backlash Amid the noise, Hall made his position clear, he would be stepping away from the company to stop further harm to its portfolio: 'I am no longer working at @offbrand_games. People were attacking all of the games we were publishing and trying to mass review bomb them. You can dislike the things I say, but this kind of behavior is unhinged.' He added that while he learned a lot and cherished his time at the studio, he hoped OffBrand could continue without being distracted by his presence. What's Behind the Movement? At the eye of the controversy lies the Stop Killing Games campaign, initiated by Ross Scott of Accursed Farms. The movement is for digital game preservation, resisting companies that deactivate or remove any sort of access to games that consumers have paid for. Ubisoft's attempt to kill The Crew in late 2023, in spite of its offline side became the prime flashpoint. PirateSoftware Situation The Fallout of Online Movements This issue has stirred the growing tension within the community of players, when advocacy hits the limits of absolutism, is there room left for that said character to disagree? Can an individual, in the political sense, say that he supports the kernel idea on which the movement is based wherein he does not support every method that the movement employs? That answer has become ambiguous for now. Pirate Software DESTROYED By Ridiculous "Stop Killing Games" Take Pirate Software's escapade out of Offbrand Games represents more than just a personnel change: it is an expression of the conflict between digital activism and personal branding on the modern internet. Though the SKG movement is gaining some traction, the internal rifts and external confrontation act as a reminder: solidarity can be so thin in the internet age if the internet decides that there is but one proper way to save games. For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here . Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
