Notch Responds to Stop Killing Games Backlash: If Buying Isn’t Ownership, Piracy Isn’t Theft

Markus “Notch” Persson, the creator of Minecraft, made a rare appearance online on July 7, 2025, and stirred up a heated debate in the gaming world. After being quiet on social media for a while, Notch jumped into a discussion on X involving YouTuber Daniel Sumpton and indie developer Pirate Software.

Sumpton had posted a joking comment about Pirate Software doubling down on its opposition to the “Stop Killing Games” campaign. Notch replied, confirming what he really meant in an earlier post:
“Just verifying that yes, that is what I was talking about. If buying a game is not a purchase, then pirating them is not theft.”

His comment quickly took off. Within hours, the post was shared widely, racking up over a million views. Hashtags like #Notch and #StopKillingGames were trending across the platform. Notch also didn’t hold back in calling Pirate Software a “nepo baby,” adding fuel to the fire.

So what is the “Stop Killing Games” campaign? It’s a movement started by Ross Scott, the creator of the Accursed Farms YouTube channel. Scott launched a petition as part of an official EU initiative, asking lawmakers to force game publishers to offer DRM-free versions or release server code before shutting down online games.

The idea is to stop games from vanishing forever when companies pull the plug. The petition has already passed one million signatures and ends on July 31.

Not everyone agrees with the campaign, though. Pirate Software, run by indie developer Jason Thor Hall, called the idea “ridiculous,” saying it would financially crush small studios that can’t afford to keep servers running forever. Sumpton supported that view, which led to Notch stepping in with his now viral comment.

The bigger issue here is game ownership. Notch’s post highlights a long-standing frustration among gamers: if buying a game doesn’t really mean owning it, then why should anyone feel guilty about pirating it once it disappears?

Many gamers still believe that if they pay for a game, it should be theirs to keep. But that’s not always the case, especially with live-service games. Once the servers go offline, the game often becomes unplayable. Ubisoft’s removal of The Crew in 2024 is one recent example that sparked outrage among players.

This debate touches on more than just online drama. A 2012 court case, UsedSoft v. Oracle, ruled that software licenses could be resold in the EU, which supports the idea that digital purchases should give consumers real rights. And according to a PwC report, the global games market is worth around $180 billion a year, most of it driven by digital sales. That shows how much trust people put into digital purchases, even if they’re just licenses that can be taken away.

Whether lawmakers in Europe agree with the players or stick with the publishers, the pressure is growing. Notch’s statement might sound harsh, but it sums up the dilemma a lot of gamers feel. If you can’t count on your game lasting, what exactly are you buying?

The Stop Killing Games petition ends July 31, and it could influence future rules around game preservation and consumer rights. What happens next could shape how games are sold, played, and saved going forward.

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