The secret to stopping Stop Killing Games?, Playing Politics

How a Westminster debate has given the industry the solution to its consumer problems

---

• Industry given strong hints on how to stop Stop Killing Games in Westminster Hall debate

• VGEC whispers dominate games industry chat ahead of the UK Budget

• Aussie social media ban looms into view in December

  ---

Hello VGIM-ers,

We’ll be diving into the latest Playing Politics shortly, with a special look at a debate in Westminster that’s all about the issues raised by the well-intentioned, but eternally naive, Stop Killing Games campaign.

But before we get into the special stuff for the paid VGIM Insiders, I wanted to invite you all to an event that I’m hosting a panel at in a couple of weeks.

Moore Kingston Smith is hosting its annual creative industries media day at BAFTA on Tuesday 25th November.

I’ll be hosting a session about the future of advertising and intellectual property in video games at 3:30 pm as part of the day’s wider media focus.

There, I’ll be joined by Max Deane, Licensing Manager at Futurlab, Lou Jones, Head of Campaign Strategy at YRS TRULY, and Erik Londre, CEO at Karta, for a full-blown chin wag on a Tuesday afternoon.

Expect to hear about what’s next for creative campaigning, how UGC platforms offer an intriguing space for brand extensions, and Powerwash Simulator’s secrets of IP success. There may also be a chance to grab a famous BAFTA sausage (steady on, now) if you’re very lucky.

Want to come along? Grab your space for free here before they’re all gone.

And with that public service announcement done, let’s get on with the politics.

---

Source: Manuele Sangalli, Unsplashed

The secret to stopping Stop Killing Games?

Never mind the Budget, it’s Stop Killing Games: Ding-ding, fight! Stop Killing Games, the campaign that’s noisier than your next-door neighbour doing DIY on a Sunday morning, barged its way into Westminster on Monday 3rd November to allow politicians to tussle over the massive issue facing society: live games going offline.

Trying Hansard: The catchily titled Video Games: Consumer Law debate took place after e-petition 702074 generated enough signatures to catch the eyes of lawmakers. Ben Goldsborough MP, Labour’s representative for South Norfolk and member of the Petitions Committee, led a chat that drew contributions from across the Parliamentary spectrum.

A clear path forward: But while many Members of Parliament shared Stop Killing Games’ concerns over consumer rights, the UK Government’s response seems more measured. Rather than listen to a super noisy consumer campaign whose clear message is undermined by messy thinking, the debate showed that the industry might be able to find a way out of this mess - if, that is, it can take the initiative on self-regulation without being prodded into it.