EU Citizens Rally Against Video Game Censorship

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.

Significant Progress Towards 1 Million Signatures

The petition 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 goals.

This initiative directly addresses the growing concern of games becoming unplayable following the termination of publisher support. The petition advocates for legislation requiring publishers to ensure continued functionality of their games, even after official server closures.

As stated in the petition, publishers selling or licensing games within the EU must maintain the games' playable state. The petition specifically aims to prevent publishers from remotely disabling games without providing reasonable alternatives to maintain functionality independently.

The petition highlights the controversial shutdown of Ubisoft's The Crew in March 2024 as a prime example. Despite a large player base (over 12 million worldwide), server closures rendered the game unplayable, sparking outrage and even legal action in California.

While the petition still needs considerable support to reach its goal, EU citizens of voting age have until July 31st, 2025, to sign. Non-EU citizens can contribute by promoting the petition within their networks.