Let's make games open source, so future generations can enjoy them

They mention recent example of Ubisoft's PC+console open-world multiplayer racer 'The Crew' [0]. (Not to be confused with the cooperative strategy card-game 'The Crew' on BGA.)

> The Crew was pulled from sale back in December [2023], with Ubisoft revealing that the servers would be shut down at the beginning of April [2024]. Frustratingly, despite a large portion of the game being doable in singleplayer, The Crew remained an online-only endeavour throughout its decade-long lifespan. That had already rendered the game unplayable, but it seems Ubisoft is determined to take things one step further to stamp out any attempts to continue playing it past its expiry date... [by revoking user licenses without notice, and] moving to its own individual section in player libraries, listed under "inactive games". Apparently booting the game directly from the installation directory will still launch the game, but only in a demo mode. ...

> It's worth noting that it appears you can technically still download the game on Steam, but any attempt to play is followed-up with a request to input a game key

> Now it's one thing to just delist a game and still allow owners to download and boot it up if they want—even if the game is technically dead—but it's another thing to revoke the licence to the files entirely. It came very close to putting a dent in plans to bring fan servers to the game...

[0]: https://www.pcgamer.com/games/racing/ubisoft-is-stripping-pe...

Petitions won't achieve anything; organizing fan boycotts of companies that behave like this might. Is Ubisoft's behavior legal under consumer law in all countries? Australia? France?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40020961 Previous thread 4/2024: "Ubisoft is stripping people's licences for The Crew weeks after its shutdown"