Ars Live recap: How can we stop publishers from killing their own games?

Ars Live recently hosted a live discussion with Ross Scott, focusing on the Stop Killing Games movement, which aims to ensure that video games remain playable even after the original publisher discontinues the online servers that support them. Scott, in conversation with Ars Technica Senior Gaming Editor Kyle Orland, expressed his frustration that the issue of long-term game access had become intolerable a decade and a half ago.

He mentioned that he had been hoping for someone else, more experienced or knowledgeable, to take the lead on the matter, but felt that no progress had been made. Scott described the process of organizing a movement against this practice as akin to drawing the short straw. During the discussion, Scott highlighted how the common practice of shutting down game access for any reason at any time, with little to no warning, would be considered absurd in other aspects of life.