“Biggest threat yet”: New EU rules could severely restrict online gaming

Stop Killing Games is an initiative that aims to prevent purchased games from becoming permanently unplayable once publishers shut down their servers. However, a new EU legislative proposal could jeopardize that goal. On September 17, 2026, the European Commission officially presented the EU KIDS Act. It is intended to better protect minors when using digital services and explicitly covers online games alongside social networks, video platforms and AI chatbots. Among other things, the proposal includes stronger safeguards and age-verification procedures. The proposal still needs to be considered by the European Parliament and the Council.

Even before the official presentation, a version of the legislative proposal was leaked. Stop Killing Games has now taken a closer look at it – and reaches a stark assessment in an accompanying video. In the video, the speaker describes the KIDS Act as the “biggest threat yet” to Stop Killing Games' stated goal. The EU KIDS Act sets out strict requirements for online services. The main cause for concern is the very broad definition of online games and the obligations associated with it.

According to Stop Killing Games' interpretation, the rules could apply not only to traditional live-service or multiplayer titles, but also to games with individual online features – such as leaderboards, downloadable updates or privately operated servers. The video even raises concerns that virtually any digitally distributed game could be treated as an online service. However, the speaker acknowledges that the proposal is not clearly worded on this point.

Age verification for all online games, the end of private servers?

Stop Killing Games is particularly critical of the planned age-verification requirements. Simply entering a date of birth will likely no longer be sufficient. Instead, providers could be required to use more reliable age-verification methods before users are allowed to access certain online features. Stop Killing Games therefore fears that players could be required to provide personal information – and that this might not only apply to major platforms such as Steam, but potentially even to individual games.

The potential consequences for private servers could be just as drastic. If the operator of such a server is legally treated as a provider of an online game, they would also have to comply with the new protection and age requirements. Stop Killing Games sees this as directly conflicting with its own goal: If an official server is shut down, fans could technically keep an older game alive by running their own servers, but according to the initiative's interpretation, doing so could expose them to legal risks. In the video, the speaker cites Minecraft and Unreal Tournament as examples.

Would it still be worthwhile for developers to offer online games in the EU?

Another potentially significant issue is the possible cost for developers. Age verification, additional safeguards and other compliance requirements could place a considerable financial burden on smaller studios. The speaker criticizes the proposal for, in his view, not providing a general exemption for small developers. In the worst-case scenario, studios could therefore decide not to offer online games in the EU at all.

However, this interpretation is far from definitive. The video repeatedly acknowledges that some of the wording is difficult to interpret and that even lawyers consulted on the matter did not agree on every point. The potential consequences described here should therefore explicitly not be understood as established law, but rather as Stop Killing Games' warning about the possible effects of the proposed legislation.