1.29 Million Signatures, No New Law: What Stop Killing Games Won and Lost

In 2024, Ubisoft switched off the servers for The Crew, an online-only racing game. Because it could not run without those servers, the game simply stopped working for everyone who owned it, including people who had bought physical copies. About 12 million players had played it.

That shutdown sparked one of the biggest consumer campaigns the games industry has ever faced. Stop Killing Games, started by YouTuber Ross Scott of the Accursed Farms channel, argued that if you pay for a game, the publisher should not be able to make it unplayable. In Europe, the campaign turned into an official European Citizens' Initiative called "Stop Destroying Videogames", and in 2026 it got its answer.

The signatures

A European Citizens' Initiative needs one million signatures from across the EU, with minimum numbers in at least seven member states, before the European Commission has to respond formally. Stop Destroying Videogames cleared that bar comfortably. After national authorities checked the signatures, it was confirmed with 1,294,188 verified signatures, and the organisers formally submitted it to the Commission in January 2026.

That put it among only a handful of citizens' initiatives ever to reach the threshold.

The Commission says no to a new law

On June 16, 2026, the Commission gave its response. It declined to propose legislation requiring publishers to keep games playable after support ends. According to reports, it cited intellectual property rights, the costs to publishers and cybersecurity concerns. The decision came about two weeks after Ubisoft and the industry body Video Games Europe met the Commission privately.

Instead, the Commission committed to work with industry and consumer groups on a voluntary, non-binding code of conduct for how games are "sunset", to be drafted by the end of 2026. Ideas reported include clearer store-page warnings for games that need an internet connection, and closer work with game preservation groups.

For campaigners, it was a defeat on the main demand. For the industry, it was a relief, though not a full victory: the Commission accepted that there is a problem worth addressing.

Where the campaign goes next

The fight has not ended; it has moved.

• The Digital Fairness Act. The EU's upcoming consumer law, a draft of which leaked this week, already covers dark patterns, addictive design, misleading pricing and hard-to-cancel subscriptions. Campaigners want rules on game shutdowns added to it as it goes through negotiations. We cover what else the draft contains, including loot box rules for minors, in our loot box law guide.
• The European Parliament. Organisers plan to keep pressing members of the Parliament, which will have a say in the Digital Fairness Act.
• California. In the US, the campaign backs the Protect Our Games Act, which has passed the state Assembly. As described by supporters, it would require 60 days' notice before an online game shuts down, and either an offline mode, support for community-run servers, or a full refund.

Why it matters

Games are moving to online services, live updates and digital-only sales. That makes the old idea of "owning" a game fragile. When a publisher shuts a server, it can take away something customers paid for without any refund, and the law in most countries says little about it.

Stop Killing Games did not get the law it wanted, but it changed the conversation. It showed that more than a million Europeans care enough about game ownership to sign an official petition, and it pushed the Commission to promise action, even if only voluntary.

WGC's take: the simplest fix is also the fairest. If a game will need servers forever, say so clearly before people buy it. If a publisher shuts those servers, give players either a way to keep playing or their money back. A code of conduct that delivers even the first part would be a real step forward. Watch for the draft before the end of the year.