UK declines to extend consumer law to better protect gamers against "disabling" live service games

The UK government has declined tightening consumer laws to better protect UK gamers aggrieved at the sunsetting or "disabling" of live service games.

A petition - which was considered in government after it gathered the requisite 10,000+ signatories - asked UK regulators to "update consumer law to prohibit publishers from disabling video games (and related game assets / features) they have already sold without recourse for customers to retain or repair them".

However, in response, the British government said there were "no plans to amend UK consumer law on disabling video games", stating: "Those selling games must comply with existing requirements in consumer law and we will continue to monitor this issue".

"The Government recognises concerns raised by video games users regarding the operability of purchased products," the statement from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport said.

"We are aware of issues relating to the life-span of digital content, including video games, and we appreciate the concerns of players of some games that have been discontinued. We have no plans to amend existing consumer law on digital obsolescence, but we will monitor this issue and consider the relevant work of the Competition and Market Authority (CMA) on consumer rights and consumer detriment."

The response then talked at length about what protections are available via Consumer Rights Act 2015, and Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulators 2008, but noted "there is no requirement in UK law for software companies to support older versions of their products".

"There may be occasions where companies make decisions based on the high running costs of maintaining older servers for games with declining user bases," it added.

The statement ended on reminding players that The CPRs section of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers (DMCC) Act 2024 is expected to come into effect in April 2025.