Video Games Europe Pushes Back Against ‘Stop Killing Games’ Petition After 1 Million Signatures

Video Games Europe

Video Games Europe, the largest lobbying group representing top publishers in the region, has issued a firm response to the growing Stop Killing Games initiative—which recently surpassed one million signatures. While the group says it "appreciates the passion of the community," its official statement makes clear that it does not support the movement’s core demands.

The Stop Killing Games campaign advocates for preserving digital games, particularly those with online-only features that become unplayable once servers are shut down. It urges developers to implement offline modes or release tools allowing the community to maintain games after official support ends. The petition gained major traction after several high-profile shutdowns.

According to the statement from Video Games Europe, enacting such policies would make game development "prohibitively expensive" and limit creative freedom. The lobby argues that requiring offline versions or community-supported servers isn't practical, especially for games built from the ground up for online experiences.

"The decision to discontinue online services is multi-faceted, never taken lightly, and must remain an option when an online experience is no longer commercially viable," the group stated. They also raised concerns about data protection, illegal content moderation, and liability issues surrounding private servers. Essentially, the lobby believes that giving players full control post-shutdown would create more risks than benefits.

This stance aligns with certain industry figures, such as Pirate Software, who’ve publicly opposed the Stop Killing Games initiative. Critics argue that forcing developers to keep games alive indefinitely—especially in ways that require major backend changes—is both unrealistic and unfair.

It’s also important to note that Video Games Europe isn’t some neutral third party—it’s made up of representatives from major publishers like Ubisoft, EA, Activision, Warner Bros. Games, Microsoft, and Square Enix. Every one of these companies has shut down games in the past, often without refunds or long-term access for players who paid full price.

So while Video Games Europe says it understands why players are upset, it’s clear the group is more focused on protecting the interests of publishers than preserving access to old games. For now, they’ve made it clear they won’t support the core ideas behind Stop Killing Games, even as the movement continues to gain steam across Europe.