Stop Killing Games fails to secure EU law despite 1.3M signatures

The European Commission rejected the Stop Killing Games campaign's request for legislation requiring publishers to keep discontinued video games playable, despite the initiative gathering 1.3 million verified signatures—exceeding the one million threshold needed for formal review. Instead of proposing new laws, the Commission will initiate voluntary discussions with the gaming industry and consumer groups by end of 2026 to develop a non-binding industry code of conduct, citing concerns about intellectual property rights, business costs, and cybersecurity risks. The campaign has vowed to continue pushing for mandatory protections, though publishers currently face no new EU-wide legal obligation to maintain access to games after official support ends.