The Stop Destroying Videogames Petition in the EU is gaining significant momentum, having reached its signature threshold in seven countries and moving closer to the goal of 1 million signatures. Learn more about this important initiative!
Gamers Across Seven EU Countries Show Support
EU gamers are rallying behind the Stop Destroying Video Games petition, which has now achieved its required signature count in Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, and Sweden. Some of these countries have even exceeded their targets, pushing the total number of signatures to 397,943, which represents 39% of the 1 million needed for the petition to succeed.
Launched in June this year, the petition addresses the growing issue of video games becoming unplayable after their support ends. It seeks to introduce a law that mandates publishers to ensure 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 highlighted by the petition is Ubisoft's open-world racing game, The Crew, which was released in 2014 and had over 12 million players worldwide. Despite its popularity, Ubisoft shut down the game's servers in March 2024 due to server infrastructure and licensing issues, rendering all player progress obsolete. This decision sparked outrage among players, leading to a lawsuit by two California gamers against Ubisoft for violating consumer protection laws by revoking their right to play the game they had purchased.
While the petition still has some distance to go before reaching its 1 million signature goal, EU citizens of voting age have until July 31st, 2025, to lend their support. Although non-EU residents cannot sign, they can contribute by spreading awareness and encouraging others to back the cause.
