Stop Video Game Violence Petition Surges Across Europe

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

Strong Support Across Europe

The petition has secured 397,943 signatures – 39% of its 1 million signature goal – across Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, and Sweden. Several countries have even exceeded their individual targets.

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

As stated in the petition: "This initiative calls for requiring publishers selling or licensing videogames in the EU to maintain those videogames in a playable state. It aims to prevent publishers from remotely disabling games without providing reasonable alternatives for continued gameplay."

The petition highlights the controversy surrounding Ubisoft's shutdown of The Crew in March 2024. Despite a large player base (estimated at 12 million worldwide), the servers were deactivated due to infrastructure and licensing issues, rendering player progress obsolete. This incident sparked outrage, leading to legal action in California alleging violation of consumer protection laws.

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