The European Commission has responded to the petition “Stop killing the game”, stating that due to “existing intellectual property rights”, they are not in a position “to impose a legal obligation” to maintain the playability of the game after it is no longer commercialized.
In an article published on its website, the Commission stated that it was unable to do so because of “existing intellectual property rights”, which meant that IP holders “have exclusive rights over their creation”. The European Commission added that the EU Consumer Law already contained “essential safeguards” covering “consumer economic interests”.
The Commission wrote: “Video game providers must inform consumers of the duration of their contracts and the terms of their termination before they register the games.” The Digital Content and Digital Services Directive provides that when the content or service provided does not meet the contract and the consumer ‘ s reasonable expectations, the consumer may seek redress and be entitled to a refund in proportion to the amount expected to be purchased.
However, the European Commission had agreed to address the concerns of players and had indicated that it would facilitate dialogue between representatives of the game industry and consumer representatives. The ultimate goal is “to develop an industry code of conduct for the management of video games `end of life’”. In addition, the European Commission indicated that it would work to raise consumer awareness of their rights.
“This demonstrates the importance of video games in today’s cultural arena. In accordance with industry traditions, I hope that the industry will be able to listen to the players ‘ community and agree on better standards for decomposition so that the community can continue to meet and play together. We will take the necessary steps for a dialogue with consumer representatives.”
The EU Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, Rule of Law and Consumer Protection, Michael McGrath added: “The electronic game provider must treat consumers fairly, including when it decides to end a game. If they stop earlier than contracted or reasonably expected by the consumer, the player should be compensated appropriately. Since 1 January 2022, EU legislation granting the right to compensation to consumers for digital content and digital services (including video games) has been applied. It is important that consumers actively exercise these rights. We will continue to work with consumer authorities and organizations to protect game players.”
Previously, the European Union version of the “Stop Killing Game” petition had been signed by 1.3 million people. The organizers announced this milestone in January 2026. Founded in 2024, the organization decided to close 10 years after the launch of the online car racing game ” The God of the Hot Motors ” .
