This weekend, the Stop Killing Games movement reached a critical milestone to become a European Citizens’ Initiative, but there are significant discontent among stakeholders. Video Games Europe, an association representing game developers and publishers across Europe, has recently issued a statement opposing the initiative.

Video Games Europe highlights that the decision to cease online services is complex and should remain a viable option for companies, particularly when it’s no longer financially feasible to continue support. Although the community’s passion is acknowledged, the association emphasized that players should receive adequate notice about any changes as per local consumer laws.

Moreover, they argued that alternative solutions like private servers aren’t always practical, as they lack protective measures for players’ data and content moderation, further complicating the development of online-only titles. These proposals, they argue, could significantly curtail developers’ creative choices and inflate production costs.

The Stop Killing Games initiative aims to safeguard the rights of gamers whose purchased games become unplayable after the cessation of publisher support. This movement has garnered more than a million signatures for its EU petition and raises pressing concerns about consumer rights and planned obsolescence in gaming.

Regardless of the pushback from Video Games Europe, this movement appears to be gaining traction among gamers, advocating for systematic changes in the digital gaming landscape.