Stop Killing Games Petitions EU Over Ubisoft's 2024 The Crew Shutdown
Updated
Updated · spectator.com · Jun 8
Stop Killing Games Petitions EU Over Ubisoft's 2024 The Crew Shutdown
3 articles · Updated · spectator.com · Jun 8
Summary
An EU petition is pressing for rules that would preserve access to games after publishers end support, using Ubisoft’s 2024 shutdown of The Crew servers as its clearest example.
The campaign argues that buyers effectively lost a product they had paid for when The Crew became unplayable, and wants an end-of-life patch that would enable offline play or private servers.
Ubisoft’s case highlights a wider digital-ownership dispute: companies increasingly sell software and connected products as licenses or subscriptions, while retaining power to disable features, restrict repairs or remove content remotely.
The petition, backed by 1.3 million signatures, has already triggered a European Parliament hearing, and the European Commission is due to respond by July 27.
Can developers afford to make games immortal, or will new laws kill the online gaming business model?
As the EU's July verdict nears, will publishers be forced to guarantee that purchased games remain playable forever?
1.3 Million Signatures Push EU to Act: The Fight for Digital Game Ownership and Preservation
Overview
The 'Stop Destroying Videogames' initiative has reached a pivotal moment as the European Commission prepares its official response. This campaign, now the 14th valid initiative to be formally examined since 2012, highlights growing concerns about consumer rights in the digital world, especially regarding the longevity and playability of purchased video games. After organizers met with top Commission officials and presented their case at a well-received European Parliament hearing, the movement gained significant momentum. The Commission’s upcoming decision could mark a turning point for digital ownership, potentially leading to stronger protections for gamers across the EU.