European Commission aims to facilitate code of conduct for managing "end of life" for games following Stop Killing Games petition

June 20, 2026 - 00:10

The European Commission has signaled its intent to work with the video game industry to establish a formal code of conduct for handling the "end of life" of online games. This move follows the high-profile "Stop Killing Games" petition, which gathered over 170,000 signatures and called for legal protections against publishers shutting down servers for titles that players have purchased.

In a formal response to the petition, the Commission acknowledged the growing frustration among gamers who lose access to content they bought when a game's online services are discontinued. While the Commission did not propose new legislation, it stated that it would facilitate discussions between industry stakeholders to create voluntary standards. The goal is to ensure that when a game is sunset, developers and publishers provide reasonable options, such as offline modes, private server support, or adequate notice periods.

A spokesperson for the Commission expressed cautious optimism, stating, "I hope the industry will listen to player communities and agree on better sunsetting standards so communities can continue to meet and play together." The initiative aims to balance the commercial realities of maintaining aging servers with consumer rights and preservation of digital culture. The proposed code of conduct is expected to address issues like refunds for unplayable games and the release of server software to allow community-run servers. The Commission has scheduled initial talks with major publishers and consumer groups for early next year.