Search Results
7/16/2025, 10:21:47 AM
> Thank you for your message and for bringing the European Citizens' Initiative "Stop Destroying Videogames" to our attention. Your question touches on a fundamental issue in the digital age: what does ownership even mean when digital products can simply disappear?
>Today, millions of European citizens buy their video games digitally. Yet, they often remain dependent on publisher servers or support to maintain access to the game or additional in-game items they paid for. When this support is discontinued, the product disappears—without compensation, without an alternative. This is unfair, unsustainable, and contrary to consumer expectations when making a purchase.
>Your concern is therefore entirely justified. Losing access to a purchased game or content is not only a consumer problem but also a threat to digital sustainability.
>We therefore support the call for regulations that oblige publishers to leave video games in a usable state after support ends, for example, by offering an offline mode or providing a clear end-of-life plan. Ending support should not automatically mean the end of the fun or the right of access for those who paid for it. Therefore, I will share your concerns with my colleagues on the Consumer Protection Committee in the European Parliament.
>Digital products, like physical goods, must be treated with respect: as something that endures, not simply disappears.
Sincerely,
Kathleen Van Brempt
>Today, millions of European citizens buy their video games digitally. Yet, they often remain dependent on publisher servers or support to maintain access to the game or additional in-game items they paid for. When this support is discontinued, the product disappears—without compensation, without an alternative. This is unfair, unsustainable, and contrary to consumer expectations when making a purchase.
>Your concern is therefore entirely justified. Losing access to a purchased game or content is not only a consumer problem but also a threat to digital sustainability.
>We therefore support the call for regulations that oblige publishers to leave video games in a usable state after support ends, for example, by offering an offline mode or providing a clear end-of-life plan. Ending support should not automatically mean the end of the fun or the right of access for those who paid for it. Therefore, I will share your concerns with my colleagues on the Consumer Protection Committee in the European Parliament.
>Digital products, like physical goods, must be treated with respect: as something that endures, not simply disappears.
Sincerely,
Kathleen Van Brempt
Page 1