The Stop Killing Games campaign has been dealt a major setback in Europe, as the European Commission declined to propose legislation requiring publishers to keep discontinued video games playable.
The movement, formally submitted in the EU as the European Citizens’ Initiative “Stop Destroying Videogames,” was built around the idea that publishers should not be able to make games unplayable after ending official support, especially when those games were sold to customers as complete products.
In January, the initiative was confirmed to have secured 1,294,188 verified statements of support, passing the one million threshold required for the European Commission to formally examine it. It was later presented to the Commission in February, followed by a European Parliament hearing in April and a plenary debate in May.
EU rejects Stop Killing Games’ key demand
In its official response on June 16, the Commission said it “cannot propose a legal obligation” requiring publishers to keep games playable after they stop being sold commercially.
Instead, the Commission said it will begin discussions by the end of 2026 with the video game industry and consumer representatives to draft an industry code of conduct for managing games at the end of their life cycle.
The Commission’s full communication said a legal obligation to keep games playable, as requested by the initiative, “would not be proportionate.” It cited concerns about intellectual property rights, confidential business information, publisher costs, and potential cybersecurity or safety risks once games are no longer supported.
The code of conduct could include more transparent storefront labeling about possible game discontinuation, along with more partnerships between publishers and cultural heritage institutions to preserve games. However, it would not legally require publishers to provide offline patches, private server tools, or other methods for players to continue accessing games after official support ends.
The Commission also argued that existing EU consumer law already provides some safeguards, including requirements around transparency, contract duration, termination conditions, and possible refunds if a shutdown conflicts with the agreement or a consumer’s reasonable expectations.
Reuters reports the decision comes as French consumer group UFC-Que Choisir continues legal action against Ubisoft over The Crew, which became permanently unplayable after its servers were shut down. Ubisoft has argued players bought limited access rather than full ownership, while the consumer group alleges players were misled over how long the game would remain available.
While the Stop Killing Games campaign succeeded in forcing the issue into EU institutions, the Commission’s response falls short of its central demand. For supporters, the outcome means publishers are not currently facing a new EU-wide legal requirement to keep purchased games playable once support ends.
Stop Killing Games says the fight “will not be the end”
Despite the setback, Stop Killing Games has said it is not ending its push for legislation.
In a response posted after the Commission’s decision, the official Stop Killing Games account said the outcome was “not unexpected” and claimed the campaign had already prepared for the result. The group said it is now pushing for members of the European Parliament to amend Stop Killing Games into the Digital Fairness Act instead.
“We can move on without the Commission and their non-decision,” the group said, referencing earlier comments from Accursed Farms creator Ross Scott.
The response echoes comments made by the account on June 13, when it said the Commission’s decision would “not be the end” and pointed to progress in both California and the European Parliament.
“We’re in a position to pass legislation on this even without the Commission’s blessing,” Stop Killing Games said at the time. “EU legislation should be going through either way.”
The campaign also argued it was in a “better position than ever” to win, adding that supporters should thank the Commission for ensuring the movement did not “rest on our laurels.”
That means the EU response is a major blow to the campaign’s original European Citizens’ Initiative, but not necessarily the end of Stop Killing Games’ broader efforts. The focus now appears to be shifting away from direct Commission action and toward influencing upcoming EU digital consumer legislation.
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Frequently Asked Questions
The European Commission declined to propose legislation requiring publishers to keep discontinued video games playable, despite the initiative securing 1,294,188 verified statements of support and passing the one-million threshold.
It said a legal obligation to keep games playable would not be proportionate, citing intellectual property rights, confidential business information, publisher costs, and potential cybersecurity or safety risks once games are unsupported.
It will begin discussions by the end of 2026 with the video game industry and consumer representatives to draft an industry code of conduct for managing games at end of life, possibly including clearer storefront labeling and preservation partnerships.
No. It would not legally require publishers to provide offline patches, private server tools or other methods for players to keep accessing games after support ends.
