Latest news with #RossScott
Time of India
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Pirate Software loses more than 100,000 YouTube subscribers after Stop Killing Games controversy
(Image via @PirateSoftware/YouTube) Popular game developer and YouTube creator Pirate Software has lost over 100,000 subscribers in just two weeks. The steep decline comes in the wake of growing outrage over his perceived opposition to the Stop Killing Games (SKG) movement, a campaign advocating against companies shutting down online games players have paid for. The Fallout Begins The sharp drop began in late June 2025. That's when Ross Scott, the creator of the Accursed Farms YouTube channel and founder of the SKG initiative, released a fiery video titled The End of Stop Killing Games . In it, he directly called out Pirate Software (real name: Jason Thor Hall) for misrepresenting the movement in an earlier 2023 video. Scott's message landed hard. His audience is passionate gamers who've rallied around the SKG cause and quickly mobilised. They felt Pirate had downplayed the campaign's core message: preserving digital game ownership and fighting corporate shutdowns of single-player games. The internet, as expected, responded swiftly. Subscriber Count Tanks According to data from Social Blade, Pirate Software's channel has shed over 110,000 subscribers between June 26 and July 9. The decline peaked on June 26, with a staggering 20,000 lost in a single day. And the numbers haven't stopped dipping since. While some creators bounce back from controversies, the pace and consistency of the losses suggest a deeper fracture between Pirate and his long-time followers. What Is 'Stop Killing Games'? SKG is a grassroots movement aimed at preserving video games in their original, playable forms, especially in light of publishers increasingly shutting down online servers or removing titles from digital storefronts. The movement recently gained huge momentum in the EU, where it crossed 1.2 million signatures on a formal citizens' initiative, enough to demand attention from lawmakers. Pirate's Response Adds Fuel During a July 4 Twitch stream, Hall addressed the backlash. His tone was defiant, even as he revealed he had been swatted and received death threats. 'I hope your initiative gets everything that you asked for, but nothing you wanted,' he said. This comment further inflamed tensions with the SKG community. Critics called his statement dismissive. Supporters of SKG saw it as a hostile rejection of a campaign that has garnered global support from preservationists, developers, and gamers alike. A Moment Bigger Than One Creator At the heart of the backlash isn't just a difference in opinion; it's a clash of values. The SKG movement has come to symbolise the right to access what you've paid for. Pirate Software's perceived dismissal of that ideal and of the campaign's legitimacy has struck a nerve. While Hall still commands a sizable audience, the trust has taken a serious hit. Whether he can rebuild from this or chooses to double down remains to be seen. One thing's clear: the digital preservation fight just got a lot louder. For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here. Catch Manika Batra's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 3. Watch Here!
Express Tribune
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Pirate Software loses 100K+ YouTube subscribers amid Stop Killing Games backlash
YouTuber Pirate Software is facing massive subscriber losses following backlash over his stance on the Stop Killing Games (SKG) movement. In less than two weeks, the channel has lost more than 100,000 subscribers, according to analytics from Social Blade. The fallout began after Ross Scott, creator of the SKG initiative and the Accursed Farms YouTube channel, released a video titled The End of Stop Killing Games on June 23. In it, Scott accused Pirate Software—real name Jason Thor Hall—of misrepresenting the SKG movement's purpose in a 2023 video. The public response was swift and severe. Between June 26 and July 9, Pirate Software's channel dropped 110,000 subscribers, with a peak daily loss of 20,000 on June 26. The number grows to 120,000 when accounting for the full 30-day range. During a July 4 Twitch stream, Hall addressed the controversy, revealing he had received death threats and had been swatted. He commented on the campaign's success by saying, 'I hope your initiative gets everything that you asked for, but nothing you wanted.' The Stop Killing Games EU Citizens initiative, aimed at preserving digital game access, has since crossed 1.2 million signatures—far exceeding its original goal. With ongoing backlash and continued subscriber losses, Pirate Software's future on YouTube remains uncertain as the SKG movement gains further momentum.
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Business Standard
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Business Standard
'Stop Killing Games' petition gets over a million signatures: What is it
A European petition calling for stronger consumer rights in digital gaming has crossed 1.2 million signatures, prompting formal review by the European Union. The Stop Killing Games campaign was launched in 2024 by YouTuber Ross Scott, following Ubisoft 's controversial shutdown of The Crew—a title rendered completely unplayable, including its single-player mode, after servers were taken offline. The incident sparked concern around digital ownership, with many players realising they could lose access to games they legally bought. Adding to the controversy, players have recently pointed out a clause in Ubisoft's End User Licence Agreement (EULA) that requires users to uninstall and destroy all copies of a game if the company ends support. Though not new, the clause has resurfaced as the petition gains attention, reinforcing concerns about what it truly means to 'own' a game in the digital age. Similar terms also appear in EULAs from other major studios, underscoring how widespread this approach is across the industry. Legitimacy questions and industry backlash The petition, filed under the European Citizens' Initiative—a formal process that allows EU citizens to propose new laws—needs verified signatures from at least seven member countries. Though the campaign has crossed the 1.2 million mark, Scott has warned that some entries may be invalid or incorrectly filled, and spoofing submissions is a criminal offence under EU law. To ensure eligibility, organisers aim to reach 1.4 million signatures by the end of July. Meanwhile, the gaming industry is pushing back. As reported by Engadget and Video Games Europe, a coalition including Microsoft, Nintendo, and Electronic Arts argues that the proposal could increase development costs, raise legal risks, and limit creative flexibility—especially for always-online titles. Studios also claim that allowing community-hosted servers would compromise player safety and expose publishers to unregulated content.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
The 'Stop Killing Games' initiative responds to criticism of its movement from lobbying group Video Games Europe
AllBollywoodCelebscoopHollywoodOriginalsBinge Ross Scott of 'Stop Killing Games' has responded to Video Games Europe's criticisms. | Credit: X The 'Stop Killing Games' initiative has been gaining momentum since the end of June 2025, with the movement's European Citizens Initiative crossing 1 million signatures on July 3. The success of the movement has prompted a response from video game lobbying group, Video Games Europe. The industry group disagreed with the aims of the movement, claiming that 'Stop Killing Games' was ignoring the multifaceted nature of game development, and that implementing the initiative's proposals would make game development prohibitively expensive and increase the legal liability faced by publishers. As a result, 'Stop Killing Games' organizer Ross Scott released a response video where he addressed, and often debunked, many of the claims made by Video Games Europe. Ross Scott of 'Stop Killing Games' addresses industry lobby I think Video Games Europe making a PirateSoftware-tier flimsily reasoned statement against Stop Killing Games while having all these infamously anti-consumer companies directly involved with them says a lot. This is exactly why Stop Killing Games needs to succeed. — Rin | 凛 (@TheIshikawaRin) July 7, 2025 Ross Scott's video went over the statement released by Video Games Europe, and in doing so, he pointed out areas of agreement, and areas where he believed the industry group was being deceptive or misleading. Ross stated that if anything, this response from Video Games Europe meant that movement was actually having an impact. Ross was also unsurprised that Video Games Europe opposed the initiative, as he believed that the industry group was driven by business interests who did not care about game preservation and instead wanted to maximize their bottom line, unlike actual game developers and fans. When it came to Video Games Europe saying that publishers had a right to discontinue online games, Ross agreed. He simply wanted to give others the ability to archive discontinued or unsupported games. Later arguments from Video Games Europe, however, drew a harsher response as he believed they were made in bad faith. Ross pushes back on many of Video Games Europe's claims The first major claim Ross took issue with was the idea that game publishers would be held legally liable if they ever allowed third parties to modify their games. Ross had a hard time believing such an eventuality couldn't be addressed in an End User License Agreement (EULA). Another argument Ross argued against was the idea that developing online titles with the regulations 'Stop Killing Games' was suggesting would make the process prohibitively expensive. Ross pointed out that a lot of the expenses incurred in online game development were the result of incorporating micro-services and platform integrations that could be done away with without rendering the game unplayable. Ross also argued that since the proposed regulations wouldn't be retroactive, publishers could start reshaping their development roadmaps accordingly should any of the initiative's ideas be taken onboard. Ross ended his response by admitting that he wasn't necessarily trying to convince the lobbyists themselves, but rather the average player, who might get taken in by arguments that he believed were made in bad faith. For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment. First Published: Jul 08, 2025, 03:05 IST Pulak Kumar is an entertainment and current events writer who got his start with bylines in Sportskeeda and Koi Moi. He's immensely passionate about understanding and analyzing the latest happenings in Hollywood, anime, gaming and pop culture. Read More 8/7/2025 3:17:7
Time of India
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
How is Ubisoft's EULA clause contradicting the 'Stop Killing Games' campaign?
Image via Ubisoft. The whole gaming world right now is divided into two parts following the feud regarding the 'Stop Killing Games' campaign. This is actually a consumer driven movement against the developers who delist their games out of nowhere. This actually affects a whole bunch of playerbase, who actually bought the game with real-money, but won't ever be able to play it as the game's server was actually made offline, with stopping all services. However, no one would have thought one of the biggest gaming companies would be against this movement. Ubisoft's EULA clause is why the 'Stop Killing Games' campaign exists The Ubisoft EULA is against the 'Stop Killing Games' campaign. | Image via Stop Killing Games. Amidst the clash between the 'Stop Killing Games' campaign and Pirate Software , fans have now found out Ubisoft is actually against the former. It has been discovered in Ubisoft's licence agreement that there is a claw which orders the owners to destroy the game if the developer chooses to end the service of that particular game. This clause in Ubisoft's end user license agreement (EULA) clearly states players are obliged to immediately uninstall the game and delete all the copies of the product which is in their possession if the specific game is being delisted. And this exact clause has stirred a huge controversy amidst the heat of the 'Stop Killing Games' campaign. This clause is exactly what the campaign is fighting against. SKG is fighting for the online preservation of the multiplayers games which suddenly stops its services, even after people purchase these games. The Ubisoft EULA is absolutely opposite to this, making people mandatory to dispose of all the possessions which they actually bought. Now the irony here is that Accursed Farms aka Ross Scott started this campaign after Ubisoft suddenly delisted The Crew in 2024. So, Ubisoft was the real reason behind this petition and now might be becoming the biggest reason people sign this petition, more and more. However, it's disappointing to note that such clauses aren't restricted to EULAs of Ubisoft only. It has been found out that EULAs of several games like Oblivion Remastered, Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Metaphor: ReFantazio, and many more contain that same clause, which prompts their users to destroy the ownerships of the games, if they ever get delisted by the developers. Read More: Pirate Software claims being made 'the villain' boosted petition's momentum as Stop Killing Games hits 1 Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
