A European Union petition aiming to prevent publishers from rendering video games unplayable after support ends has gained significant traction. The "Stop Destroying Video Games" initiative is nearing its goal of one million signatures.
EU Gamers Rally Behind the Cause
Nearly 40% of the Target Reached
The petition has already surpassed its signature threshold in seven EU countries: Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, and Sweden. With 397,943 signatures collected, the campaign has reached 39% of its one million signature goal.
Launched in June, the petition addresses the growing concern of games becoming unplayable after server shutdowns or the termination of publisher support. The initiative seeks to establish legislation requiring publishers to ensure games remain playable, even after official support ceases.
As stated in the petition, publishers selling or licensing video games in the EU should be obligated to maintain the game's functionality. This aims to prevent publishers from remotely disabling games without providing reasonable alternatives to maintain playability independently.
The petition highlights the controversial shutdown of Ubisoft's The Crew, a 2014 racing game with over 12 million players worldwide. Ubisoft's decision to shut down servers in March 2024, citing infrastructure and licensing issues, sparked outrage among players and even led to lawsuits in California.
While the petition is still short of its target, EU citizens of voting age have until July 31st, 2025, to add their signatures. While non-EU citizens cannot sign, they can still contribute by promoting the petition within their networks.
