Overview
- Culture minister Stephanie Peacock said existing laws, including the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, are sufficient, adding that "the law works, but companies may need to communicate better."
- Officials said they are considering commissioning the Chartered Trading Standards Institute to issue sector guidance so sellers clearly state longevity and functionality of online titles.
- MPs pressed for stronger measures such as clear lifespan disclosures at purchase, notice periods for shutdowns, refunds where appropriate, offline modes where feasible, and support for preservation.
- Concord’s rapid 2024 shutdown, for which Sony issued refunds, and Ubisoft’s retirement of The Crew were cited as examples of players losing access to paid games.
- Labour MP Mark Sewards warned that rendering purchased games unplayable could be seen as breaching unfair trading rules, as a UK petition drew roughly 190,000 signatures alongside a separate European initiative with over 1.4 million backers.