A European Union petition demanding publishers maintain the playability of online games after server shutdowns is gaining traction. With over 39% of its 1 million signature goal already achieved, the initiative is nearing its target.
Significant Support Across the EU
Nearly 400,000 Signatures Secured
The "Stop Destroying Video Games" petition has surpassed its signature threshold in seven EU countries: Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, and Sweden. The impressive total stands at 397,943 signatures, representing a substantial 39% of the campaign's ambitious goal.
Launched in June, the petition addresses the growing concern of games becoming unplayable following the termination of publisher support. The initiative seeks legislation mandating publishers to ensure continued functionality of online games, even after official server closures.
As stated in the petition: "This initiative calls for publishers selling or licensing videogames within the European Union (or related features and assets) to maintain said videogames in a playable state. Specifically, it aims to prevent publishers from remotely disabling videogames without providing reasonable alternatives for continued gameplay."
The petition cites Ubisoft's shutdown of The Crew servers in March 2024 as a prime example. Despite a substantial player base (estimated at 12 million worldwide), the game became unplayable due to server infrastructure and licensing issues. This decision sparked outrage amongst players, leading to legal action in California.
While the petition is making significant progress, it still requires substantial additional signatures to reach its million-signature target. EU citizens of voting age have until July 31st, 2025, to sign the petition via the official website. Those outside the EU can contribute by promoting the initiative to their networks.
