The European Commission's answer to StopKillingGames: "[A]t this stage [the Commission] cannot propose a legal obligation to keep video games playable after they stop being provided commercially."
2026-06-16 15:14 UTC
Cross posted from feddit.org/post/31333476
Existing EU consumer law already provides for important safeguards protecting the economic interests of consumers. Video game providers must inform consumers about the duration and the conditions for terminating the contract before the consumers signs up for the video game. […]
However, to address players’ concerns, the Commission has committed to taking several steps.
First, it will initiate an exchange with the video game industry and consumer representatives with the aim to draw up an industry code of conduct on managing video games’ ‘end of life’.
Second, the Commission will work with consumer organisations and authorities to raise awareness about the applicable rights that protect consumers, including on safeguards protecting the economic interests of consumers
Edit: edited title for more clarity.
Replies (2)
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@jlow@slrpnk.net 2026-06-16 21:12
Cowards.
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@REDACTED@infosec.pub 2026-06-18 01:04
I mean… as much as we hate this, I always had this thought at the back of my mind. Games commonly become abandoned not because of greed, but because of financial reasons. Same financial reasons would make it impossible for many companies to hire programmers to modify the game for playing single-player. Sometimes outright impossible due to game design (can’t really make NPCs smart enough to act like players in MMO, which are needed for raids, etc.). I don’t see how can this realistically become a legal obligation, but devs should still be encouraged to make their games in a way they can keep functioning without servers