The European movement associated with the Stop Killing Games campaign has collected over 1.4 million signatures on the European Citizens’ Initiative platform, triggering an official verification process in the Member States. If the required 1 million valid signatures from at least seven countries are confirmed, the European Commission will be obligated to publicly address the proposal.
The proposal aims to establish regulations that oblige game publishers to develop end-of-life plans for games that rely on remote services, ensuring that the game remains playable on users’ systems even without continuous support from companies. The focus is on implementing technical measures that ensure ongoing access rather than permanent assistance.
EU countries are currently in the process of verifying the signatures, which may take several weeks or months to complete at the national level before being officially confirmed by the Commission. Despite facing complaints and criticism, including an anonymous allegation questioning the declaration of contributions, the organizers maintain that volunteer work is not subject to the communication requirements outlined in the ECIs regulations. Additionally, the video game industry associations have expressed skepticism about the potential impact of the proposed measures.
If the validation process verifies the required number of signatures and meets the criteria set by each country, the European Commission will have a six-month period to respond, outlining its legislative proposals, suggested measures, and any associated timelines. Conversely, if the verification process diminishes the number of signatures below the threshold, the initiative will not progress to the next phase.
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