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 come back, however its struggle isn’t over but.
The self-described shopper motion soared previous the objective yesterday, July 3, cementing its standing as a formidable petition in gaming historical past and a motion that has loads of fuel 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 trade steadily marches towards a digital future.
A number of video games we purchase at present are constructed to only cease working when the writer pulls the plug on em. It must cease. If you’re EU citizen please contemplate signing #stopkillinggames initiative. https://t.co/vlyIEXcpnh pic.twitter.com/nsTusFyGrL
— Pat_ (@Pat8_8) July 2, 2025
Social media feeds have since full of reactions from supporters praising an operation that might assist save multiplayer and single-player video games for future generations. Whereas players 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 any individual makes a mistake once they signal the Initiative, their signature will get invalidated. So meaning we’d like extra signatures to make up for everyone’s errors.”
It is an essential variable within the equation on the street to 1 million reliable Cease Killing Video games endorsements, and it’s only one flaw to think about. The opposite entails studies Scott has acquired concerning fabricated signatures that might 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 observe up on this.”
To anybody who made a mistake or is not positive in the event that they signed the EU initiative already, you may contact the official spokesperson (Daniel Ondruska) and he can direct you on the way to attain the EU to kind it out. His contact is on the web page below “extra data”https://t.co/EpnNTDR85U
— Accursed Farms (@accursedfarms) July 4, 2025
To account for what might be a big variety of invalid Cease Killing Video games signatures, the initiative has altered its ultimate objective 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 preserve footslogging away until we will work out what the secure numbers are. Sorry this isn’t a giant victory celebration. That is simply sort of suspenseful and tense as an alternative, and can most likely harm the morale of individuals signing.”
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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 fashionable open-world racing recreation, The Crew. The motion goals to create a ripple impact that might shake the trade into preserving video games on-line lengthy after gamers lose curiosity.
It means the whole lot from The Crew to Harmony may 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 may see live-service and multiplayer titles like BioWare’s Anthem, which was given a shutdown schedule simply yesterday, may proceed on in some type ought to a writer determine to sundown help. Success may additionally imply single-player video games that depend on on-line elements, reminiscent of Loss of life Stranding or Darkish Souls, may stay intact, too.
WEAK
I do know Anthem acquired panned, however it’s one other instance of 1 that looks like it had a cool wanting world to run round in. I used to be eager about making an attempt it out and preserving 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 needs to avoid wasting 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 lots of of hundreds of recreation gamers are already supporting. Following its promising launch final yr, nevertheless, the initiative struggled to take care of the help it wanted to push its approach by way of to the eyes that wanted to see it.
Cease Killing Video games’ probabilities at a profitable marketing campaign turned 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 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 have 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 lots of of hundreds of signatures, leading to a stable chunk of the greater than 1 million names hooked up 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 objective 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 objective is met.
“If we will move the signature threshold,” Scott says, “there’s a very sturdy likelihood that the European Fee will move new regulation that may each defend shopper rights to retain video video games that prospects have bought and advance preservation efforts massively.”
Ought to the phrase get out to sufficient people, gamers may see considerably of a return to the times when shopping for a recreation got here with the peace of mind that it might stay playable no matter post-launch interference. We’ll have the entire 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 up to now yr. You can too study how digital PC storefront GOG is doing its half in terms of 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’ll want to give him a observe on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
