97% of Collected Signatures Valid in Stop Killing Games Petition

The Stop Killing Games campaign has confirmed that nearly 97% of the signatures collected for its petition are valid.

The petition, which seeks to prevent publishers from permanently shutting down paid digital games, is now in the verification stage by national authorities and expected to take at least three months.

Verification First, Legislation Next

The campaign shared details in a Reddit post, thanking supporters for helping it surpass 1.45 million signatures across the EU before the July 31, 2025, deadline. Since the official requirement was only 1 million, organizers continued collecting signatures to buffer against invalid entries. With almost 97% confirmed as valid so far, the petition remains in a strong position.

For now, national authorities are carefully reviewing the signatures country by country, which is expected to take until late 2025. Once verification is complete, the petition will move to the legislative phase, where the European Commission and Parliament must formally decide how to respond. That decision could potentially result in new laws or regulations that protect digital games from being shut down permanently.

A Separate Push in the UK

Due to Brexit, the campaign had to run a separate petition in the United Kingdom. That effort closed on July 14, 2025, with 189,890 signatures, nearly double the 100,000 needed to force a parliamentary debate. Although the stretch goal of 200,000 was narrowly missed, the result ensures the petition will still be discussed in Parliament.

Together, the EU and UK efforts represent over 1.6 million supporters, giving the campaign serious momentum heading into the next stage.

Support Across Europe

One of the campaign’s strongest points is how widespread the support has been. According to the official numbers:

• Germany led with 306,399 signatures

• France followed with 173,146

• Poland contributed 156,463

• Spain, the Netherlands, Italy, and Sweden also added tens of thousands

Origins of the Movement

The Stop Killing Games petition was launched in April 2024 by content creator Ross Scott, known for highlighting consumer rights in gaming. The campaign gained traction after Ubisoft delisted The Crew, leaving players unable to access a game they had purchased.

The petition calls for publishers to provide solutions like offline play modes, private servers, or community-run preservation frameworks once official support ends. Organizers argue this ensures that games remain playable, even if companies discontinue them.

Preparing for the Next Stage

While verification is ongoing, the campaign team is focusing on legislative outreach, countering industry pushback, and strengthening community structures. Some longtime contributors, including Ross Scott, have stepped back, but new members have joined to help carry the effort forward.

More updates are expected over the coming months, with organizers encouraging supporters to stay engaged as the initiative moves closer to legislative review.