European Commission aims to facilitate code of conduct for managing 'end of life' for games following Stop Killing Games petition
The European Commission has responded to the Stop Killing Games petition by stating that it cannot enforce a legal obligation to keep games playable after they are no longer commercially available due to existing intellectual property rights. The Commission highlighted that EU consumer law already provides important safeguards for consumers' economic interests. Video game providers are required to inform consumers about contract termination conditions before sign-up and consumers may be entitled to refunds if the content does not meet expectations.
Despite this, the European Commission has committed to addressing player concerns by initiating discussions between industry representatives and consumers to establish an industry code of conduct for managing video games' 'end of life'. Additionally, efforts will be made to raise awareness of consumer rights in this area. Henna Virkkunen, EVP for tech sovereignty, security, and democracy at the European Commission, emphasized the importance of industry collaboration with player communities to establish better standards for game sunsetting. Michael McGrath, Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law, and Consumer Protection, stressed the need for video game providers to treat consumers fairly, especially when discontinuing games, and highlighted the legislation granting redress rights for digital content and services.
The Stop Killing Games petition in the EU garnered 1.3 million signatures, with origins dating back to 2024 following Ubisoft's decision to take The Crew offline ten years after its release.
