1: predatory monetization
Microtransactions, lootboxes, gambling mechanics and such are completely anti-consumer, and need addressing. Some countries have already banned or restricted some of these mechanics, and this is one of the few points in this petition where our ask goes to regulators and rating boards more than to publishers. We are not asking to completely remove them - but we ask for more transparency, more regulation, and less abuse. A good start would be increasing PEGI and similar rating systems evalutation to 18 or equivalent for games that include them.
This somehow applies to battle pass systems and other mechanics that rely on FOMO or artificially time-gated content, that also rely on psychological vulnerability, bypassing the normal inhibitory brakes related to conscious spending.
2: Kernel-level anticheats and DRM
Performance degradation, privacy concerns, security risks, broken compatibility… the costs of kernel-level anticheat are paid entirely by the player.
We know cheating is a real problem that costs you players and money, so we’re not asking you to just drop protection and hope for the best. We’re asking you to invest in server-side detection and behavioral analysis instead of reaching ever deeper into our machines. The arms race on our hardware is being lost anyway - the server is the one battlefield you fully control.
3: modding support
Many games benefit from community-developed mods, whether it’s to fix bugs, add new features, or create new content entirely. However, many publishers and developers actively work against modding, making it difficult or impossible for players to mod their games.
We ask for developers and publishers to be more supportive of modding, whether it’s by providing official tools, documentation, or support for the modding community. This would allow players to enjoy games in new and creative ways, and it would also help to extend the lifespan of games.
Also: more moddability on consoles please. We know it’s possible.
4: AI-generated content
With the recent rise of AI image and text generation, some developers have started to use AI to generate content for their games. While this can be a useful tool for some purposes, it can also be used to create low-quality, generic content that detracts from the overall experience.
We demand for developers and publishers to be more transparent about their use of AI-generated content, describing exactly what the AI was used for, and in what amount.
5: exclusives, and bad porting
We understand exclusives: they’re how platforms differentiate, and they do sell hardware. We won’t pretend otherwise. But understand our side too: exclusives split friend groups apart and breed exactly the console-war resentment this petition is trying to put to rest.
So here’s a middle ground: make exclusivity TIMED, not permanent. Keep the launch window that sells your consoles, then bring the game everywhere. The recent wave of former console exclusives landing on PC has already proven the point: a second launch on a second platform is not lost hardware sales - it’s found money.
And when you DO port: a port sold at full price is a full product. Things like the PC porting of that 2017’s game where a redhead hunts mechanical beasts left PC players fighting performance issues for months after release. We know you can do better - we’ve seen it. Budget the port like a launch, because for that audience, it is one.