A gamer-led effort called Stop Killing Games recently took its case to the European Commission. The group handed over signatures and explained why they want the Digital Fairness Act to include protections so companies cannot effectively erase games people have bought.

How the meeting went

Organizer Moritz Katzner summed it up simply: "The meeting went fine." According to the campaign, some members of the commission were clearly supportive, while others said the campaign's position was not legally sound. That split mirrors an earlier meeting the group had about the Digital Fairness Act.

What the campaign argued

YouTuber Josh "Strife" Hayes, who attended the meeting, says the team framed the issue as consumer advocacy rather than a niche hobby fight. Their point: games are products, and one-sided contracts let companies pull them away from buyers. When politicians understood that, Hayes says, it stopped sounding like a story about a single player losing access and started sounding like many consumers losing goods they paid for.

Hayes also stressed that preservation and artistic value matter. As he put it, "Ive not played Highguard. I dont need to play Highguard to not want it to die. Someone out there loves Highguard. There is value there."

Headwinds and the plan forward

  • Some commissioners were open to the argument, others raised legal doubts about changing the law.
  • Lawmakers often rely on the games industry for information, which can skew views toward business interests.
  • Stop Killing Games is trying to position itself as a partner to developers, not an enemy, while still pushing for consumer protections and preservation.

Katzner emphasized that this is an early stage. The campaign will press for concrete amendments to the Digital Fairness Act and is asking supporters to contact their representatives. Organizers expect a long fight and plan to keep up pressure on the commission.

Bottom line

The meeting did not settle the issue, but it did move the conversation forward. The commission heard the signatures and the arguments. Now Stop Killing Games must translate that attention into legal language and political support. It will not be easy, but the organizers say they will keep pushing.