logo
‘Stop Killing Games' petition may trigger change to EU video game laws

‘Stop Killing Games' petition may trigger change to EU video game laws

Euronews08-07-2025
The European Commission will likely have to decide whether the European Union needs new laws to force video game companies to preserve discontinued online games, after a successful citizens' petition.
A European Citizens' Initiative called Stop Killing Games surpassed one million signatures in at least seven member states, which is the threshold to force the Commission to consider issues raised by the public.
The petition argues that when video game makers decide to sell or discontinue online games, they typically sever the server connection needed for the games to run, effectively 'destroy[ing] all working copies of the game'.
'This practice is effectively robbing customers of their purchases and makes restoration impossible,' the petition reads. 'It represents a radical assault on consumer rights and even the concept of ownership itself'.
Organisers Aleksej Vjalicin and Daniel Ondruska had until the end of July to collect one million signatures to officially send the petition to the Commission for further study.
Launching 'overdrive mode'
Vjalicin previously told Euronews Next that they mounted the campaign after Ubisoft, a French gaming company, shut down support for 'The Crew,' an online-only racing game that launched in 2014 and has a player base of roughly 12 million.
The Stop Killing Games petition reached 1.25 million signatures, though they still need to be validated before the Commission will consider the issue.
Vjalicin said he and the petition's supporters are "extremely thrilled" about reaching the milestone and "appreciate each and every signature that brought us closer to this critical milestone".
They still hope to promote the campaign in what he's calling "overdrive mode" to collect "as many signatures as we can," because some might be invalidated during the EU's review.
Few EU petitions have reached at least one million signatures since the programme launched in 2012. The Commission has replied to 10 petitions, while another four are being verified or under consideration.
What is the petition asking for?
The petition asks video game companies to create an 'end-of-life' plan for a game they have decided to discontinue before they turn off the servers that support it, so people can continue to play it.
It argues that video games are 'unique creative works' and killing these games 'represents a creative loss for everyone involved and erases history in ways not possible in other mediums".
The petition asks that any EU legislation also include protections for in-game features that players have bought.
Industry group Video Games Europe said in a position paper on the petition last week that the decision to discontinue a game 'is multi-faceted and is never taken lightly".
The group argues that players 'are given fair notice of the prospective changes,' in accordance with consumer laws.
If the petition were to become law, Video Games Europe believes it would give companies 'significant' engineering problems, undermine their ability to develop new games, and could 'erode' intellectual property rights.
What happens next?
The Stop Killing Games initiative will not necessarily become EU law, given the Commission will still decide whether or not to draft new legislation.
The organisers still have a few steps before policymakers will even consider the petition.
First, 'designated authorities' in all EU countries will carry out exhaustive or random checks to make sure the signatures are legitimate.
A certificate with the number of valid signatures will be sent from each national government to the organisers. Once they've received all of those documents, the petition can then be submitted to the Commission, which will hold a 'structured discussion' with the organisers.
The European Parliament typically holds public hearings in the following months to help draft the EU's response.
The Commission then replies to the petition with the measures it will take – if any – along with a timeline for their implementation. If it decides to pursue new legislation, any proposal will go through the regular lawmaking process.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

IN PICTURES: France's scene-stealing Tour de France fans
IN PICTURES: France's scene-stealing Tour de France fans

Local France

time21 hours ago

  • Local France

IN PICTURES: France's scene-stealing Tour de France fans

Tour de France spectators are known for their enthusiasm – which can border on the excessive as they've been known to get too up close and personal with the riders. But it's their funny, over-the-top and often downright eccentric get-ups and banners that sometimes steal the show. Whether it's 'simple' head-to-toe polka dots à la jersey awarded to the King of the Mountains to various furry animals, an out-of-season Santa Claus, the Pope and even, um, genitalia, those watching like to get creative. These are some of our favourites from this year's race. A spectator in costume (presumably Celine Dion from the helpful sign) looks on along the race route. (Photo by Loic VENANCE / AFP) READ ALSO: 7 reasons to watch the Tour de France (even if you have no interest in cycling) Spectators in polka dots and, yes, inflatable genitalia costumes cheer the riders on. (Photo by Loic VENANCE / AFP) A group of spectators sport matching skintight pink all-in-ones line the race route on the ascent of Mont Ventoux. (Photo by Marco BERTORELLO / AFP) The 'pope' was in attendance this year, too. (Photo by Loic VENANCE / AFP) A spectator dressed up as Santa Claus – because why not – rings a bell along the race route. (Photo by Marco BERTORELLO / AFP) It all makes dressing up as a panda look pretty normal. This panda was watching the race on July 20, 2025. (Photo by Marco BERTORELLO / AFP) Advertisement And sometimes people want to just let it (almost) all hang out. A man in a fluorescent Borat-style mankini steals the show. (Photo by Bernard PAPON / POOL / AFP) Bare feet, kilts, and pants: does it get any more Scottish? (Photo by Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP) Hats are also a big deal among those watching. A spectator wearing a hat adorned with miniature cyclists looks on at the finish line area on the summit of La Plagne. (Photo by Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP) READ ALSO: How to watch the Tour de France climax in Paris Another spectator sports a hat decorated with mini cyclists. (Photo by Marco BERTORELLO / AFP) Umbrella hats cover all weather eventualities. (Photo by Marco BERTORELLO / AFP) Sometimes only traffic cones will do when supporting the riders. (Photo by Marco BERTORELLO / AFP) And, at other times, it's a different kind of riding you need. A man on horseback rides alongside the peloton. (Photo by Loic VENANCE / AFP) And let's not forget the banners. A spectator in a stormtrooper mask holds a placard to spur riders on. (Photo by Marco BERTORELLO / AFP) Spectators with a placard which reads "You're a skilled bastard, get over the hill and think of Ricard [French liquor]" gather near the finish line area at the summit of Col de la Loze. (Photo by Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP) But sometimes it all goes a bit too far. Like when one brazen prankster actually tried to cross the finish line before the riders, earning himself an eight-month suspended sentence in the process . A French Republican Security Corps officer tackles an individual attempting to cycle across the finish line minutes before the final sprint between Bollene and Valence, southern France, on July 23, 2025. (Photo by Marco BERTORELLO / AFP) Advertisement

At Musée d'Orsay, a Courbet painting gets a new life before visitors' eyes
At Musée d'Orsay, a Courbet painting gets a new life before visitors' eyes

LeMonde

timea day ago

  • LeMonde

At Musée d'Orsay, a Courbet painting gets a new life before visitors' eyes

Artisinal precision and unwavering patience: In the main gallery of Paris' Musée d'Orsay, a side arcade has become a sensation. Visitors crowd between the signs "Poitiers" and "Limoges" (western French cities) to witness an unusual spectacle. Behind plexiglass panels, a small team of restorers is hard at work breathing new life into this celebrated painting by Gustave Courbet (1819-1877): Un Enterrement à Ornans (A Burial at Ornans). Since early June, the monumental canvas – 6.68 meters long and 3.15 meters high – has been restored in public view. Every Thursday morning, three groups of 12 people each enjoy a guided visit that brings them up close to the work. Inside the restorers' area, scaffolding, spotlights and renovation tools surround the realistic painting. During half an hour, the professionals explain the history of the work, the nature of their craft and the various stages in the restoration process. This free visit is open to all by reservation. "It's fascinating. I didn't realize how many scientific skills were required for restoration," said Sylvie, a retired sales manager, as she left the visit. "It made me want to come back in the coming months to see how the project is progressing." The visits will pause in August and resume in September.

Thomas Jolly, director of Paris 2024 Olympics ceremonies: 'You're always reminded of where you come from'
Thomas Jolly, director of Paris 2024 Olympics ceremonies: 'You're always reminded of where you come from'

LeMonde

time2 days ago

  • LeMonde

Thomas Jolly, director of Paris 2024 Olympics ceremonies: 'You're always reminded of where you come from'

One year ago, France was buzzing with excitement for the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games. As the artistic director of the opening and closing ceremonies, Thomas Jolly delivered bold and extraordinary performances. At 43, the theater and opera director, known for his spectacular productions, such as his acclaimed staging of the musical Starmania, received an honorary Molière award, the French equivalent of the Tonys, in late April. I wouldn't have gotten here if… In French class at middle school, we hadn't read Le Médecin malgré lui [ The Doctor in Spite of Himself ] by Molière, and that first line spoken by Sganarelle at the beginning of the play, which I delivered in an extremely theatrical manner, banging on the table: "No! I tell you that I'll do nothing of the kind, and that it is for me to speak, and to be master." I was in sixth grade, I didn't know anything about theater, and it was the first time I had ever recited a line from the repertoire. But I understood you had to "give it some tone," and the teacher had asked me to perform it with anger. I did it, and I made my classmates laugh. Suddenly, it wasn't the same everyday laughter I heard that was hard to bear on the playground, in the cafeteria, or on the bus. This laughter was different, and it continued throughout my reading. That evening, when I got home to my parents, I wanted to do theater. I felt that it was a space where, even though you were exposed, you were also protected. What images do you keep from your childhood in the small village of La Rue-Saint-Pierre, in Normandy?

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store