The Stop Killing Games campaign’s European Citizens’ Initiative, formally named Stop Destroying Videogames, was submitted to the European Commission with 1,294,188 verified statements of support on 26 January 2026. The Commission responded on 16 June 2026: it will not currently propose a law requiring publishers to keep commercially discontinued games playable, but it plans further work with industry and consumer representatives.
How many verified signatures did the initiative receive?
The European Commission records 1,294,188 verified statements of support in the initiative’s submission. That is the final verified count—not the raw number of signatures gathered during the campaign. The initiative exceeded the one-million threshold and met minimum support thresholds in 24 EU Member States.
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The campaign collected support from 31 July 2024 to 31 July 2025. After national verification, organisers submitted it to the Commission on 26 January 2026. The organisers later presented it to Commission officials, at a European Parliament public hearing on 16 April, and during a Parliament plenary debate on 21 May.
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Organisers sought a binding requirement for publishers selling or licensing video games in the EU to leave them in a functional state, so they could not remotely disable a game after ending its commercial availability. The concern is especially relevant to games that depend on publisher servers: as the Commission notes, “Modern video games often rely on publishers’ servers to function.” When those servers are shut down, a game may become partly or entirely unplayable.
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What did the European Commission decide?
In its response adopted on 16 June 2026, the Commission said it could not at this stage propose a legal obligation to keep games playable after they stop being provided commercially. It cited the existing legal landscape, including intellectual-property rights: rights holders have exclusive rights over their creations, and other intellectual-property protections may apply to games’ visual and technological elements.
This is the Commission’s current position, not a court ruling that such a policy is impossible. The response does mean the initiative has not resulted in a proposed EU law requiring publishers to maintain discontinued games.
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Will publishers have to keep shut-down games playable?
Not under a new EU-wide legal requirement announced in the Commission’s response. The Commission did not propose the binding obligation requested by organisers. Its planned next steps are discussions and consumer-rights work, rather than enacted legislation.
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What happens next?
The Commission said it plans to begin an exchange with video-game industry and consumer representatives by the end of 2026, with the aim of drawing up an industry code of conduct for managing games’ end of life. It also announced consumer-rights awareness work and a report before the end of 2026 on how the Directive on digital content and digital services is being applied. These are planned actions; the response does not guarantee that a code will be produced or establish new obligations for publishers.
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What does the initiative’s success require?
Under the European Citizens’ Initiative process, an initiative needs at least one million statements of support and must meet minimum national thresholds in at least seven EU countries to qualify for formal examination. Reaching those thresholds requires the Commission to examine the initiative and respond; it does not oblige the Commission to propose legislation. It may instead set out other follow-up measures.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What EU consumer protections did the Commission point to?
The Commission said existing consumer law already provides safeguards. Before a consumer enters a contract, providers must explain its duration and termination conditions. The Directive on digital content and digital services also provides remedies when digital content or services do not conform to the contract and what consumers could reasonably expect. Depending on the circumstances, a consumer may be entitled to a proportionate refund; a game shutdown does not automatically mean every player is owed one.
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Key dates
- 31 July 2024–31 July 2025: Support collection period.
- 26 January 2026: The initiative was submitted with 1,294,188 verified statements of support and minimum thresholds reached in 24 Member States.
- 16 April 2026: Organisers presented the initiative at a public hearing in the European Parliament.
- 21 May 2026: The European Parliament held a plenary debate.
- 16 June 2026: The Commission adopted its response.
- By the end of 2026: The Commission plans to start an industry-and-consumer exchange aimed at an end-of-life code of conduct and to continue consumer-rights work.
Official sources
- European Commission: Stop Destroying Videogames — Commission’s reply to the European citizens’ initiative
- European Commission: Commission will engage with industry following European Citizens’ Initiative on the disabling of videogames by publishers
- European Commission: “Stop Destroying Videogames” submitted to the Commission for examination
- European Citizens’ Initiative: How it works
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