A powerful wave is sweeping through Europe in defense of digital ownership, and gamers are leading the charge. The “Stop Killing Games” initiative — now an official EU Citizens’ Initiative — has collected over 1.3 million signatures, demanding that publishers can’t just pull the plug on online games people have purchased

Tapping into concerns sparked by Ubisoft shutting down The Crew online servers, the campaign argues that once a game is sold, it should remain playable — unless the consumer agrees otherwise . The initiative calls for rules requiring developers to preserve games or offer archival plans, akin to how music or film can’t simply be destroyed.

This movement just received a major political boost: Nicolae Ștefănuță, Vice-President of the European Parliament, publicly endorsed it: “A game, once sold, belongs to the customer, not the company,” he declared. Meanwhile, Video Games Europe has warned it might raise development costs and legal risks — a pushback that underscores how much power gamers are wielding.

Now, with over one million validated EU signatures, the European Commission must formally review it by summer’s end. This campaign could reshape consumer rights in the digital age. For once, players aren’t just logging in — they’re standing up.