A European Union petition to prevent game publishers from remotely disabling online games after server shutdowns is gaining momentum. The "Stop Destroying Video Games" petition has already surpassed its signature threshold in seven EU countries: Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, and Sweden.
Significant Progress, But More Signatures Needed
With 397,943 signatures collected – 39% of the one million target – the petition is making significant headway.
The petition addresses the growing concern of games becoming unplayable after publishers end support. It aims to establish a law requiring publishers to maintain the functionality of games sold within the EU, preventing the remote disabling of games without providing reasonable alternatives for continued play. The petition explicitly states its goal to prevent publishers from remotely disabling games without offering viable solutions for continued gameplay.
The petition highlights the controversial shutdown of Ubisoft's The Crew in March 2024 as a prime example of the problem. This shutdown, impacting millions of players, sparked outrage and even legal action in California.
While considerable progress has been made, the petition still needs a substantial number of additional signatures to reach its goal. EU citizens of voting age have until July 31st, 2025, to sign the petition. Those outside the EU can contribute by spreading awareness of the initiative.
