Best of GamesIndustry.biz — January 2026

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   GamesIndustry.biz·17w

   GOG MD warns fewer games may come out if developers are forced to keep them online forever

   GOG's managing director warns that requiring developers to maintain games online indefinitely could reduce new game releases due to increased long-term funding requirements. The comments address ongoing debates around game preservation, sparked by campaigns like Stop Killing Games following shutdowns of service-based titles like Ubisoft's The Crew and EA's Anthem. While acknowledging preservation as important, Gołębiewski argues that excessive regulatory barriers around end-of-life cycles could discourage game creation, as studios would need to budget for potentially decades of server maintenance on top of development and marketing costs.

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   GamesIndustry.biz·16w

   Ubisoft’s restructure plan spooks the markets, and it's not hard to see why | Opinion

   Ubisoft's new restructuring plan divides the company into five business units, with flagship titles like Assassin's Creed and Far Cry isolated in one unit backed by Tencent. Markets reacted negatively with a 40% share drop, as the reorganization appears to separate crown jewels from other properties while maintaining top-down management control. The structure raises concerns about future divestments rather than genuine recovery, especially given continued layoffs, mandatory office returns, and leadership unchanged despite years of underperformance.

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   GamesIndustry.biz·16w

   Stop Killing Games EU petition hits 1.3m verified signatures

   The Stop Killing Games EU petition has reached 1.3 million verified signatures out of 1.5 million total, surpassing the 1 million threshold needed for European Commission discussion. The campaign, which started after Ubisoft shut down The Crew in 2024, aims to prevent game publishers from permanently disabling games when online services end. Germany and France led contributions with 233,180 and 145,239 signatures respectively. The petition achieved a low 10% rejection rate, placing it among the most successful European Citizens Initiative campaigns. Industry trade body Video Games Europe and the UK government have responded, arguing that maintaining older game servers may not be commercially viable and that no law currently requires indefinite support.

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