Stop Killing Games Initiative Confirms Significant Progress on EU Petition
The Stop Killing Games (SKG) initiative, which stands against the closure of online gaming servers by publishing houses, came with a major update. The organizers have announced that professionals checking the signatures verified that at least half of the signatures on the petition are valid; this will be a crucial milestone to formally consider the matter of the preservation of video games by the European Union.
Petition Verification and Current Status
In 2024, against a backdrop of gamers organizing themselves because of unplayable games, the initiative had secured over 1.4 million signatures from European citizens by June 2025. Organizers are now saying verification is well underway.
Of the total 1,448,270 signatures, 689,035 have been verified thus far, and 15 countries have met their threshold values. We still lack the verification of two big ones Germany and France yet based on the progress made so far, we are confident that these necessary thresholds had indeed been surpassed.
Representatives of Stop Killing Games
Engagement With Lawmakers and the Gaming Industry
The group is also politically active. They noted that, during the consultation period for the Digital Fairness Act, which closed October 24, considerable support was given to their cause. SKG representatives have been regularly communicating with members of the European Parliament and national governments.
Also, the organization is now trying to recruit well-known experts who would represent them in future negotiations with the gaming industry. They specify that their opposition is not against the global video game industry; rather it is aimed at a small number of select corporations.
Our fight is against a handful of companies holding our beloved video games hostage. That's why we said "enough" and why so many of you did the same.
Representatives of Stop Killing Games
Background of the Movement
The movement gained significant momentum following the shutdown of the racing game The Crew. Once the servers were shut down, it became unplayable in the true sense since the game largely depended on server functionality. The publisher Ubisoft went ahead and revoked all the licenses of the game from player accounts.
Ross Scott, the blogger behind Freeman's Mind, became one of the most prominent endorsers of the SKG petition on YouTube and other social media platforms until its closing date in the summer of 2025. He is currently acting as a consultant for the initiative.
