Stop Killing Games fails to secure EU law despite 1.3M signatures
6 hours ago
- #EU Consumer Rights
- #Stop Killing Games
- #Video Game Preservation
- The European Commission declined to propose legislation requiring publishers to keep discontinued games playable, dealing a setback to the Stop Killing Games campaign.
- Instead, the Commission plans to start discussions by end of 2026 with industry and consumer representatives to draft an industry code of conduct for end-of-life games.
- The Commission argued a legal obligation would not be proportionate, citing concerns about IP rights, costs, and cybersecurity risks for unsupported games.
- The code of conduct may include more transparent storefront labels and partnerships with cultural institutions for preservation, but won't legally require offline access.
- Existing EU consumer law already provides some safeguards, like transparency and possible refunds, but doesn't mandate keeping games playable after support ends.
- Stop Killing Games plans to continue its push, aiming to influence the Digital Fairness Act through the European Parliament instead.
- The group claims it's in a strong position to pass legislation without the Commission's blessing, citing progress in California and the EU Parliament.