EU initiative "Stop Killing Games" reaches one million signatures

The EU initiative "Stop Destroying Videogames", also known as "Stop Killing Games", has reached the million signature mark, clearing the final hurdle required by the EU. The initiative managed to secure the minimum amount of signatures required within weeks in seven countries. But the initial momentum didn't last long.

The number of new signatures dropped significantly, certainly due in part to a lack of media coverage. In January 2025, we analyzed the figures again in detail. Things weren't looking good, as the initiative remained largely unknown in numerous EU countries. Five months before the deadline, the initiative had collected just 415,000 of the required 1,000,000 signatures. Furthermore, the minimum number of seven countries remained unchanged, each with its own quota. If the momentum had continued, the initiative would have failed, as it was mathematically short of almost 200,000 signatures despite a constant flow of signatures.

But things changed suddenly in the last few days. The press once again took notice and reported widely on the impending failure of the EU initiative. As a result, not only did the number of signatures increase, but the number of countries that were supposed to reach their quota was also suddenly exceeded. As of July 4, 2025, 23 EU countries have met the quota. Slovenia just made it with 100.23%. Bulgaria almost made it with 94.89%.

The Nordic countries in particular showed great activity. The last countries are still Luxembourg, Malta and Cyprus, which reached between 37 and 52% of their quota. The organizers point out that further signatures would be helpful in case there are any invalid signatures. Whether and to what extent the EU will react will become clear in the coming months and years.