I hope they don't forget about loopholes like: removing all the multiplayer content and replace it with an offline "mini game" (could be as simple as pressing a single button). There, we "updated" our game just before it's end of life, and it's now "playable forever". Or what about CS:2 which simply replaced CS:GO, because Valve didn't want to release a game with limited content to compete with their older title. The CS:GO version is still playable offline via beta branch, but only offline afaik.
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No reason this should be hard to implement. Just look at it as a mandatory spec.
When you create multiplayer game, include a LAN option (no problem 30 years ago, so should be even easier now). When it comes to phone home, just add a line of code that bypasses the requirement if server cannot be reached (&& t.ex. 2 years from release date). ๐
Force them to open source the server code
Or far more realistically, just make the server binaries available. You can't force companies (or individuals for that matter) to open source their code.
The Stop Destroying Videogames initiative deliberately doesn't care how they make the games work without continued support, as long as they do it. Releasing server binaries (or code) is one way, there are others.
Suprise, big tech doesnt like customer rights
In other news: water is wet.
Response from Ross Scott (starter of the Stop Killing Games movement): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5Ay_aOUcFw
TL;DW: all the point they say opposing the initiative are straight up lies. Some other parts of the statement deliberately pretend to misunderstand the initiative.
It would be quite funny if Mr "i worked at Blizzard for 7 years" would show up side by side with EA, Ubisoft, Blizzard and Activision all in one room to "show how many people oppose it". The people being employees they forced to be in that room