EU response to Stop Destroying Videogames skips a legal keep-playable mandate

The European Commission’s answer to the Stop Destroying Videogames citizens’ initiative does not propose a legal obligation to keep games playable after they stop being provided commercially. The r/Games post was created within the last day and links the EU page noting that the initiative was submitted on January 26, 2026 after 1,294,188 verified statements of support.

The Commission’s stated next step is narrower than the campaign’s strongest supporters wanted. By the end of 2026, it plans to begin an exchange with the video game industry and consumer representatives aimed at drafting an industry code of conduct for managing video game “end of life.” It also says it will work with consumer organisations and authorities to raise awareness of existing consumer-rights safeguards. The Reddit post highlights the Commission’s view that existing intellectual-property law limits how far it can go, because rights holders retain exclusive rights over their works.

For players, the issue is practical: what happens to online-only games, server-dependent modes, store language, and access after support ends. The thread split between users reading the answer as no material change and others arguing that the Commission response is only one step, with any stronger rule requiring parliamentary legislation. Several comments focused on clearer storefront disclosure, while others pushed for offline builds or private-server routes once publishers stop operating official services. The concrete result is a 2026 code-of-conduct process, not a keep-the-game-running mandate. Source: r/Games, European Commission.