EU won't force publishers to grant dead video games an afterlife

Stop Killing Games campaign suffers setback as European Commission favors industry code of conduct over legal obligation

The Stop Killing Games movement was dealt a blow this week after the European Commission decided not to propose a legal obligation to keep video games playable after they are no longer commercially available.

Users of licensed software that depends on online components may also find this development of interest – more on that later.

The grievance concerns online video games that become unplayable when publishers shut down the servers they run on. Almost 1.3 million grumpy gamers signed a petition calling for publishers to ensure games enjoy an afterlife, leading to a public hearing in the European Parliament.

It's a contentious issue. On one hand, customers who have purchased a game might feel aggrieved when it is rendered unplayable by a commercial decision. On the other, publishers argue that shutting down services...

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