Initiative to stop destroying videogames
This does not concern POE2 directly, but it does concern us as players. It is an initiative aimed at preventing the liquidation of games after their "productive cycle" ends. Specifically, the initiative seeks to prevent publishers from remotely disabling video games without first providing adequate means for these games to continue functioning without the publisher's involvement.
It looks like we are approaching the number of signatures required for the European Commission to start addressing this issue and for it to go to a public hearing. If you haven't supported the initiative yet and are from an EU country, your signature will go to a good cause. :)
Comments
People please read it instead of letting Pirate Software summarize it for you!
It's crazy this was published almost a year ago and only just now gaining traction
If PoE 1 or 2 ever go offline this petition might be able to let you play the game as Single Player offline. Honestly for me I would pay 500€ today to play PoE1 offline and be able to mod it.
Summarisation for simplicity's sake, courtesy copilot.
Here’s a sharp summary of the key points from the Stop Destroying Videogames European Citizens' Initiative:
🎮 Objective
The initiative demands that video game publishers in the EU be legally required to keep games in a functional, playable state—even after discontinuing support. It seeks to end the practice of remotely disabling games consumers have paid for.
🧨 The Problem
- Some games require online verification to function ("phone home").
- When publishers end support, they cut server access and destroy working versions.
- Customers are left with inaccessible products and no legal recourse.
- Existing consumer protections are insufficient for this practice.
📜 Legal Justifications
The initiative cites several EU legal frameworks:
- Article 17(1) of the EU Charter: No one should be deprived of possessions without just cause.
- Articles 12, 114(3), 169 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU: Emphasize strong consumer protection and market fairness.
It argues that current practices violate the spirit of these protections.
🧑🤝🧑 Support Levels
As of June 2025, nearly 939,000 signatures have been collected across the EU. Many countries have already exceeded their thresholds (e.g., Germany, Sweden, France, Poland).
🔍 What It Doesn’t Do
- Doesn't demand ownership of games or IP rights.
- Doesn't ask publishers to continue providing support indefinitely—just to leave the game playable.
🗓️ Deadline to Support
Signatures will be accepted until 31 July 2025.
I posted about this on this sub 2 days ago, and it got taken down because it "didn't feature Path of Exile".Please sign and spread this post to as many ppl as u can!
So the initiative seeks that if some publisher is losing money with a live service they have to search a solution for free so the few people playing can keep on? Sorry but it makes no sense to me. How many people is enough to keep a live service on? 1 person? Why do we need to keep a zombie game alive? Just close it, learn from mistakes and move on. If this ever goes to eu court it will be rejected in minutes, but even if this goes serious, it may lead to prize increases for sure.