The Stop Destroying Videogames Petition in the EU is making significant strides towards its goal of 1 million signatures. With support from seven countries, the petition is gaining momentum and drawing attention to the plight of gamers across Europe.
Gamers Across Seven EU Countries Show Support
39% Of 1 Million Signatures Signed
EU gamers are rallying behind the Stop Destroying Video Games petition, which has now reached its required threshold for signatures in seven countries: Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, and Sweden. Some of these countries have even surpassed their individual goals. With a current total of 397,943 signatories, the petition has achieved 39% of the 1 million signatures needed to advance.
Launched in June, the petition addresses the growing issue of video games becoming unplayable after their support ends, turning them into abandonware. The initiative seeks to introduce a law that would require game publishers to ensure that their games remain playable even after the closure of online services.
As stated in the petition, "This initiative calls to require publishers that sell or license videogames to consumers in the European Union (or related features and assets sold for videogames they operate) to leave said videogames in a functional (playable) state. Specifically, the initiative seeks to prevent the remote disabling of videogames by the publishers, before providing reasonable means to continue functioning of said videogames without the involvement from the side of the publisher."
A notable example cited by the petition is Ubisoft's open-world racing game, The Crew, released in 2014. Despite having a player base of at least 12 million, Ubisoft shut down the game's servers in March 2024 due to server infrastructure and licensing issues, rendering all player progress obsolete. This move sparked outrage among players, with two gamers from California filing a lawsuit against Ubisoft for violating consumer protection laws by effectively taking away their right to play the game.
Although the petition has made significant progress, there is still a considerable distance to cover before reaching the 1 million signature target. EU citizens who are of voting age have until July 31st, 2025, to sign the petition on the official website. While non-EU residents cannot sign, they can help by spreading awareness and encouraging others to support the cause.
