UK government rejects calls to strengthen consumer protections against live service shutdowns

The UK government has rejected calls to strengthen consumer laws for gamers affected by the shutdown or disabling of live service games.

A petition with over 13,000 signatories urged UK regulators to update consumer laws to prevent publishers from disabling sold video games and related content without offering customers the option to retain or repair them. 

In response, the UK government stated there are no plans to amend consumer law, reaffirming that sellers must comply with current regulations while continuing to monitor the issue.

"The government recognises concerns raised by video game 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 will monitor this issue and consider the relevant work of the Competition and Market Authority (CMA) on consumer rights and consumer detriment."

More to come 

The UK government’s response highlighted existing protections under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 but clarified that there is no legal requirement for software companies to support older versions of their products. 

It also acknowledged that companies may discontinue older games due to high maintenance costs. 

The response also noted that the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers (DMCC) Act 2024, which includes the CPRs section, is expected to come into effect in April 2025.