EU Petitions Urge End to Video Game Piracy

A European Union petition demanding publishers maintain the playability of online games after server shutdowns is gaining significant traction. The initiative, aiming for one million signatures, has already surpassed its threshold in seven member states.

EU Gamers Rally Behind Playability Rights

Nearly 40% of the Goal Reached

The "Stop Destroying Video Games" petition has achieved remarkable success, exceeding signature targets in Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, and Sweden. With 397,943 signatures collected, the petition is 39% of the way to its one million signature goal.

Launched in June, the petition directly addresses the growing concern of games becoming unplayable after publisher support ends. It advocates for legislation requiring publishers to ensure continued functionality of online games, even after official closure, preventing the remote disabling of games without providing reasonable alternatives for continued play.

As the petition states, "This initiative calls for publishers selling or licensing videogames in the EU to maintain the games in a playable state. It aims to prevent publishers from remotely disabling videogames without offering reasonable means to maintain functionality independently."

The petition highlights the controversy surrounding Ubisoft's shutdown of The Crew in March 2024. Despite a substantial player base (over 12 million worldwide), the game was rendered unplayable due to server and licensing issues, sparking outrage and even legal action in California.

While the petition still requires significant support to reach its goal, EU citizens of voting age have until July 31st, 2025 to add their signatures. While non-EU residents can't sign, they can contribute by spreading awareness of this important initiative.