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 combat isn’t over but.
The self-described shopper motion soared previous the aim 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 title of defending the video video games gamers love – and even those they don’t – because the business steadily marches towards a digital future.
Numerous video games we purchase at present 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 crammed 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 happening right here. The primary we knew was coming. Each time any individual makes a mistake once they signal the Initiative, their signature will get invalidated. So which means we’d like extra signatures to make up for everyone’s errors.”
It is an vital variable within the equation on the highway to 1 million legit Cease Killing Video games endorsements, and it’s only one flaw to think about. The opposite entails stories Scott has obtained 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, they usually’ll observe up on this.”
To anybody who made a mistake or is not certain in the event that they signed the EU initiative already, you’ll be able to contact the official spokesperson (Daniel Ondruska) and he can direct you on how you can attain the EU to type 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 ideally suited aim 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 maintain tramping away except we will determine what the secure numbers are. Sorry this isn’t an enormous 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 by way of 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 resolution to close down its standard open-world racing recreation, The Crew. The motion goals to create a ripple impact that would shake the business into retaining video games on-line lengthy after gamers lose curiosity.
It means every little thing 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 move 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 resolve to sundown assist. Success might additionally imply single-player video games that depend on on-line parts, equivalent to Loss of life Stranding or Darkish Souls, might stay intact, too.
WEAK
I do know Anthem acquired panned, but it surely’s one other instance of 1 that looks like it had a cool trying world to run round in. I used to be fascinated by attempting it out and retaining my expectations low. One more instance of why SKG is so wanted.https://t.co/fDsq0ZsP8K
— Accursed Farms (@accursedfarms) July 3, 2025
Cease Killing Video games desires to avoid wasting the artwork that builders pour their hearts into whereas defending shoppers preferring to entry video games they’ve already paid for, and it’s a motion that tons of of 1000’s of recreation gamers are already supporting. Following its promising launch final yr, nonetheless, the initiative struggled to keep up the assist it wanted to push its manner via to the eyes that wanted to see it.
Cease Killing Video games’ possibilities at a profitable marketing campaign grew to become so dire that Scott went so far as to publish a video titled “The top of Cease Killing Video games” simply final week. Within the hour-long explainer piece, Scott listed a scarcity of publicity as one major trigger behind the shortage of assist. It was the Hail Mary the initiative wanted, although, as distinguished YouTubers like Jacksepticeye, penquinz0/Cr1TiKaL, Ludwig, and extra have been fast to voice their assist with their very own movies.
All inside the weeks since Scott shared his issues, Cease Killing Video games has gained tons of of 1000’s of signatures, leading to a strong chunk of the greater than 1 million names connected to the motion at present. Success stays unsure even when Scott is ready to attain that magic 1.4 million quantity, with much more uncertainty mendacity on the opposite aspect of that aim publish. 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 aim is met.
“If we will move the signature threshold,” Scott says, “there’s a very robust probability that the European Fee will move new regulation that can 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 reassurance that it might stay playable no matter post-launch interference. We’ll have all the updates right here at IGN, however within the meantime, you’ll be able to learn up on our protection of Cease Killing Video games’ launch right here. You can even take a look at the opposite objectives Cease Killing Video games has managed to realize up to now yr. You can even find out about how digital PC storefront GOG is doing its half in the case of recreation preservation.
Michael Cripe is a contract contributor with IGN. He is greatest identified for his work at websites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. You’ll want to give him a observe on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
