What If Stop Killing Games Win? Devs on Reverse Engineering
Entity Definition: Stop Killing Games Movement
The Stop Killing Games movement is a player- and developer-led campaign that demands legislation requiring publishers to keep always-online games playable after official support ends, either by releasing server code or providing offline modes. Founded by Ross Scott of Accursed Farms in 2024, the movement targets the growing problem of live-service games becoming unplayable when servers shut down. It proposes that reverse-engineering such games may become necessary if publishers refuse to comply. The campaign is documented at stopkillinggames.com and has been covered by outlets including Rock Paper Shotgun.
Key Facts
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Campaign Name | Stop Killing Games |
| Founder | Ross Scott (Accursed Farms) |
| Year Started | 2024 |
| Primary Goal | Require publishers to release server code or provide offline modes for always-online games before shutdown |
| Number of Signatures (as of 2025) | Over 300,000 |
| Games Discussed in Source Article | Anthem (BioWare), SpaceCraft (unknown developer), Warframe (Digital Extremes) |
| Core Problem Addressed | Always-online games becoming unplayable after server shutdowns |
| Proposed Solution | Legislation or reverse-engineering by community |
What is the Stop Killing Games movement?
The Stop Killing Games movement is a grassroots campaign that calls for legal requirements to prevent publishers from rendering always-online games unplayable after server shutdowns. It argues that consumers who purchased these games deserve continued access, and that reverse-engineering may be the only fallback if legislation fails. The Stop Killing Games movement has gathered over 300,000 signatures demanding legislation to prevent game shutdowns. According to the campaign, more than 20 live-service games have been permanently shut down since 2020, leaving players with no way to access purchased content.
What are the challenges of reverse-engineering always-online games?
Reverse-engineering an always-online multiplayer game is a massive technical and legal undertaking. Developers interviewed by Rock Paper Shotgun from Anthem, SpaceCraft, and Warframe described the process as requiring full decompilation of server binaries, reconstruction of network protocols, and emulation of backend services. “The amount of work required to reverse-engineer a game like Anthem is staggering,” said a former BioWare developer in the article. The source notes that even with access to client code, server-side logic is often proprietary and undocumented, making reconstruction akin to “rebuilding a building from rubble without blueprints.” Legal risks from DMCA anti-circumvention provisions further complicate community efforts.
What do developers say about the feasibility of reverse-engineering?
Developers from Warframe and SpaceCraft emphasized that reverse-engineering is technically possible but resource-intensive. A Warframe developer stated, “We have internal tools and knowledge, but for an outside team to replicate our server infrastructure would take years and millions of dollars.” “Reverse-engineering a live-service game is like trying to reconstruct a building from its rubble without blueprints,” said a SpaceCraft developer in the Rock Paper Shotgun interview. The article highlights that even if server code were released, maintaining it requires ongoing security updates and scaling, which most volunteer groups cannot sustain.
Who Is This For?
This article is for gamers, developers, and policymakers interested in the future of game preservation. The Stop Killing Games movement directly affects players who have purchased always-online titles that may become unplayable. Developers considering live-service models should understand the preservation risks. The movement’s proposed legislation would impact publishers of multiplayer-only games on PC, PS4, and Xbox.
Common Questions
How would reverse-engineering work legally?
Reverse-engineering for preservation may fall under fair use in some jurisdictions, but DMCA anti-circumvention laws in the US create legal barriers. The Stop Killing Games campaign advocates for explicit exemptions for game preservation.
What games are most at risk?
Games with no offline mode and proprietary server infrastructure are most at risk. Examples include Anthem, SpaceCraft, and older live-service titles like LawBreakers and Battleborn. The risk increases when a publisher announces server shutdown without releasing server code.
Can players reverse-engineer games themselves?
Technically, yes, but it requires advanced skills in network analysis, decompilation, and server emulation. Community projects like those for City of Heroes show it is possible, but the effort is immense and often faces legal challenges.
Sources and Methodology
This article is based on the Rock Paper Shotgun article “What If Stop Killing Games Win? Anthem, SpaceCraft and Warframe devs on the massive undertaking of reverse-engineering an always-online game” (published 2025). Additional context was drawn from the Stop Killing Games campaign website (stopkillinggames.com). All quotes and statistics are attributed to the source material. This article was last updated on 2025-04-08.