A new EU citizen initiative demands that video game publishers keep their games playable even after support ends. The “Stop Destroying Videogames” petition needs one million signatures to bring political attention to the issue.
The initiative, which started collecting signatures on Wednesday, demands legal protections for users who purchase games and expect them to remain functional even after publishers end their support.
The initiative already has almost 12,000 out of the 1,000,000 signatures needed. It has one year to reach the mark, and if the current pace continues, the signatures could be collected in less than three months.
Gamers are calling on politicians to oblige game publishers to leave video games in a functional (playable) state once support for them ends.
“Videogames are being destroyed! Most video games work indefinitely, but a growing number are designed to stop working as soon as publishers end support. This effectively robs customers, destroys games as an art form, and is unnecessary. Our movement seeks to pass a new law in the EU to put an end to this practice,” the call to action reads.
Organizers argue that the video game industry, worth hundreds of billions of dollars, has been slowly eroding basic consumer rights and destroying the medium. Requirements such as an active internet connection usually mean that these video games will stop working once the support period ends and connections are severed.
Publishers also “implement extensive measures to prevent the customer from repairing the game in any way.”
The initiative document states, “This practice effectively robs customers of their purchases and makes restoration impossible.”
“The ability for a company to destroy an item it has already sold to the customer long after the fact is not something that normally occurs in other industries.”
Gamers believe that video games are unique creative works, like films or music, and their destruction leads to creative loss and the erasure of history.
“This practice challenges the concept of ownership itself, where the customer is left with nothing after ‘buying’ a game.”
The organizers claim they do not seek to rob publishers of intellectual or monetization rights or expect them to provide resources after the video game is discontinued.
If citizen initiatives get enough support in the EU, authorities will have to consider the issue. The representatives get a chance to meet the European Commission (EC) and present the initiative at a public hearing at the European Parliament. While it doesn’t guarantee any new laws, it could spark important discussions and changes.
If the EC considers legislation as an appropriate response to the initiative, it may start preparing a formal proposal, according to the explainer.
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