The Cease Killing Video games initiative has reached the essential 1 million signatures milestone in its quest to protect video video games for many years to return, however its battle isn’t over but.
The self-described shopper motion soared previous the purpose yesterday, July 3, cementing its standing as a formidable petition in gaming historical past and a motion that has loads of gasoline left within the tank. It’s all within the identify of defending the video video games gamers love – and even those they don’t – because the business steadily marches towards a digital future.
Lots of video games we purchase right this moment are constructed to only cease working when the writer pulls the plug on em. It must cease. In case you are EU citizen please think about signing #stopkillinggames initiative. pic.twitter.com/nsTusFyGrL
— Pat_ (@Pat8_8) July 2, 2025
Social media feeds have since stuffed with reactions from supporters praising an operation that would assist save multiplayer and single-player video games for future generations. Whereas avid gamers take to the web to have fun, spokesperson and organizer Ross Scott says reaching 1 million signatures is sweet information however removed from a victory.
“OK, the breaking information: The European Residents’ Initiative has crossed 1 million signatures – besides it hasn’t,” Scott stated in a video replace uploaded yesterday. “That is going to kill morale, however there are two issues occurring right here. The primary we knew was coming. Each time anyone makes a mistake after they signal the Initiative, their signature will get invalidated. So which means we want extra signatures to make up for everyone’s errors.”
It is an essential variable within the equation on the highway to 1 million reputable Cease Killing Video games endorsements, and it’s only one flaw to contemplate. The opposite entails studies Scott has acquired concerning fabricated signatures that could possibly be artificially inflating the initiative’s progress.
“First off, I need to say that this isn’t a Change.org petition,” Scott provides. “It is a authorities course of. Spoofing signatures on it’s a crime. Please don’t do that. They’ll be checked later by the EU fee, and my guess is the faux ones will get turned over to the Europol or Interpol, and so they’ll comply with up on this.”
To anybody who made a mistake or is not certain in the event that they signed the EU initiative already, you may contact the official spokesperson (Daniel Ondruska) and he can direct you on how one can attain the EU to kind it out. His contact is on the web page underneath “extra information”https://t.co/EpnNTDR85U
— Accursed Farms (@accursedfarms) July 4, 2025
To account for what could possibly be a big variety of invalid Cease Killing Video games signatures, the initiative has altered its best purpose to be 1.4 million signatures. On the time of this story’s publication, Cease Killing Video games has reached 1.07 million endorsements forward of its July 31 finish date.
“So, yeah, that sucks,” Scott continued. “We’ll simply hold slugging away until we will determine what the secure numbers are. Sorry this isn’t a giant victory celebration. That is simply form of suspenseful and tense as an alternative, and can in all probability damage the morale of individuals signing.”
Save States
Scott, who has created gaming content material through his Accursed Farms YouTube channel for greater than a decade, launched Cease Killing Video games in April 2024 as a direct response to Ubisoft’s choice to close down its common open-world racing recreation, The Crew. The motion goals to create a ripple impact that would shake the business into protecting video games on-line lengthy after gamers lose curiosity.
It means all the pieces from The Crew to Harmony might theoretically stay on-line to get pleasure from ought to the initiative amass sufficient public complaints to see the European Fee go a regulation defending shopper rights. Ideally, gamers might see live-service and multiplayer titles like BioWare’s Anthem, which was given a shutdown schedule simply yesterday, might proceed on in some kind ought to a writer determine to sundown help. Success might additionally imply single-player video games that depend on on-line elements, equivalent to Dying Stranding or Darkish Souls, might stay intact, too.
WEAK
I do know Anthem acquired panned, nevertheless it’s one other instance of 1 that looks like it had a cool trying world to run round in. I used to be serious about making an attempt it out and protecting my expectations low. Yet one more instance of why SKG is so wanted.https://t.co/fDsq0ZsP8K
— Accursed Farms (@accursedfarms) July 3, 2025
Cease Killing Video games needs to save lots of the artwork that builders pour their hearts into whereas defending customers preferring to entry video games they’ve already paid for, and it’s a motion that tons of of hundreds of recreation gamers are already supporting. Following its promising launch final 12 months, nonetheless, the initiative struggled to keep up the help it wanted to push its manner by way of to the eyes that wanted to see it.
Cease Killing Video games’ possibilities at a profitable marketing campaign turned so dire that Scott went so far as to publish a video titled “The tip of Cease Killing Video games” simply final week. Within the hour-long explainer piece, Scott listed an absence of publicity as one main trigger behind the shortage of help. It was the Hail Mary the initiative wanted, although, as outstanding YouTubers like Jacksepticeye, penquinz0/Cr1TiKaL, Ludwig, and extra had been fast to voice their help with their very own movies.
All inside the weeks since Scott shared his considerations, Cease Killing Video games has gained tons of of hundreds of signatures, leading to a stable chunk of the greater than 1 million names connected to the motion right this moment. Success stays unsure even when Scott is ready to attain that magic 1.4 million quantity, with much more uncertainty mendacity on the opposite facet of that purpose submit. Nonetheless, as outlined by Scott on the Cease Killing Video games web site, he feels optimistic about the way forward for recreation preservation if the signature purpose is met.
“If we will go the signature threshold,” Scott says, “there’s a very robust probability that the European Fee will go new regulation that may each defend shopper rights to retain video video games that clients have bought and advance preservation efforts massively.”
Ought to the phrase get out to sufficient people, gamers might see considerably of a return to the times when shopping for a recreation got here with the peace of mind that it will stay playable no matter post-launch interference. We’ll have all the updates right here at IGN, however within the meantime, you may learn up on our protection of Cease Killing Video games’ launch right here. You can too try the opposite targets Cease Killing Video games has managed to attain prior to now 12 months. You can too study how digital PC storefront GOG is doing its half in relation to recreation preservation.
Michael Cripe is a contract contributor with IGN. He is finest recognized for his work at websites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. You should definitely give him a comply with on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
