Stop Destroying Video Games Petition Gains Wide Support in 7 EU Countries

A European Union petition demanding publishers maintain the playability of online games after server shutdowns has gained significant traction. The "Stop Destroying Video Games" initiative has already surpassed its signature threshold in seven EU nations.

Strong EU Gamer Support

The petition, launched in June, has secured 397,943 signatures—39% of its 1 million target—across Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, and Sweden. Several countries have even exceeded their individual signature goals.

The petition directly addresses the growing concern of games becoming unplayable after publisher support ends. It advocates for legislation requiring publishers to ensure games remain functional, even after official server closures, preventing the remote disabling of games without providing reasonable alternatives for continued gameplay.

The petition's text states: "This initiative calls to require publishers that sell or license videogames to consumers in the European Union…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."

The petition highlights the controversy surrounding Ubisoft's shutdown of The Crew in March 2024. Despite a large player base (at least 12 million worldwide), the game became unplayable due to server and licensing issues. This sparked outrage, leading to lawsuits in California alleging violation of consumer protection laws.

While the petition is far from reaching its goal, EU citizens still have until July 31st, 2025, to sign. Non-EU residents can contribute by promoting the petition to those eligible to sign.