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Valve bows to Kremlin: LGBTQ+ solitaire game [Flick Solitaire] pulled from russian Steam [cited a 2006 federal law prohibiting the "promotion of non-traditional sexualities"] (www.player.one)
submitted 9 months ago by to c/pcgaming@lemmy.ca
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[–] 28 points 9 months ago (12 children)

This sucks.

However, I think it is important for Steam to continue operating in Russia: by seeing the living standards of other people across the world, younger Russians will develop those same expectations. Everyday things like furnishings, food, how people treat each other, and so forth. When the Russia we know dies, it will be important for the Russians of the future to have ideas and desires to drive them forward. Also, Russian authorities won't be able to fully inspect ALL media for LGBTQ+, which means that people will see something that they "shouldn't".

In the long run, the media that people consume will determine how they feel their nation should become. It is my hope that Putin's Russia will die in the coming years, and a better nation born from the ashes.

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  • [–] 5 points 9 months ago

    This is a very naive and ignorant take. In the major cities, quality of life is on part with EU for many.

    Furthermore, even with demographic splits (e.g. russians aged 18-24, urban russians), all major demographic groups show at least strong majority support for chauvinism, authoritarianism and genocidal imperialism.

    There are some variations of course. But it's more along the lines of overwhelming/near absolute majority support (e.g 50+) or strong majority support (18-34). You also find interesting variantions where "middle age" segments tend to be less supportive (on a relative basis, the segment as whole still shows strong majority support) of genocidal imperialism than young adults/early middle age (18-34); likely because they have more to lose.

    Russians have the capability to build a better future for themselves (without invasions), they just don't want to because they haven't gotten a taste of their own medicine (where they are treated like they treat others).

    EU is massive in enabling this attitude. Consider the fact that Merkel, even from retirement, is promoting russian genocidal imperialism by claiming that Poland and the Baltic nation are responsible for the full scale invasion:

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/10/06/angela-merkel-poland-baltics-blame-ukraine-war/

    When it's the russians and putin (a symptom, with the cause being russians) who are to blame for their own invasion.

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  • [–] 2 points 9 months ago (7 children)

    What Steam should do, and what every other country and business should do is leave russia (and israel etc etc etc). They should completely stop importing or exporting until that country starts to play nice with others.
    The. Fucking. End.
    If they are invading/causing genocide/generally be cunts then 100% ignore and sanction that country. Nothing in, nothing out. Physically or digitally. Nothing. Fuck 'em until they stop being scummy pieces of shit.

    It won't happen, obviously, because nearly every politician and upper corporate ghouls are corrupt. But that's what should happen.

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  • [–] 1 point 9 months ago* (6 children)

    I think that is the wrong approach. North Korea is the result of what you advocate for, a people who do not know the possibility of other lifestyles. The complete isolation of a country is similar to locking up a child in a basement: It corrodes the mind and prevents escape for something better.

    This isn't to say that Russia, Israel, nor North Korea shouldn't be impacted by their harmful characters. Instead, they should be treated like post-WW2 Japan, where outsiders force reforms. In Japan's case, that was the dismantling of mega-corporation zaibatsu, ensuring democratic voting, removing previous leadership, reconstruction programs, and so forth.

    It isn't much different from tending a garden, where you both help and harm to ensure that the best plants get ahead of weeds.

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  • [–] 2 points 9 months ago (5 children)

    Of course, none of that is possible against a nuclear power, because it first relies on unconditional surrender. I also don't think any leaders in the world have to political will to do that, either.

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  • [–] 2 points 9 months ago (4 children)

    IMO, the key points for handling a nuclear power is two or three things:

    1: Identify potential replacement of leadership, who would be open to negotiation. They just need to see value in having dealings with other powers. It could be a gift, political legitimacy, or the threat of being removed from the census.

    2: Collaborate with "outside" powers to cushion the repercussions of removing the target country's inconvenient leadership. For example, offering aid to civilians, moving military forces around to increase or ease tension, establishing narratives, ect.

    3: The actual removal of the existing leadership. Trump sent a special forces team into North Korea. That was stupid, but a carefully planned operation with a genuine goal, such as eliminating the Kim family, might work out. This assumes that China is participating, as the northern border is probably less secure against intrusion. At this point, China probably doesn't want North Korea around, because Kim could point a missile at someplace unwanted, and unprompted.

    I am not saying it to be easy, it is more about leaders having enough guts and foresight to consider such measures. Putin's Russia certainly does some of this, considering the shadow fleets, hacking, and influencer operations. Krasnov is an example of removing leadership without even involving blood, by influencing politics from afar.

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  • [–] 1 point 9 months ago (3 children)

    Yes, those things can be done, and they're good ideas. One key difference between the U.S. and North Korea thing is that Russia can, or at least is believed to be able to, use a nuclear response anywhere in the world. North Korea couldn't threaten the U.S. with nuclear reprisal. But, yes, removing the entrenched and uncompromising leader is the first step, and that is much harder against a nuclear power.

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  • [–] 1 point 9 months ago (2 children)

    Considering the horrid state of economics and corruption in Russia, it is doubtful that their nuclear stockpile and submarines are fit for the job. Honestly, I think North Korea might have more reliable nukes, even if it is less than a handful. With Russia, it would be a fusion roulette.

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  • [–] 2 points 9 months ago (1 child)

    I honestly agree, and said as much shortly after the invasion of Ukraine. Based on the world's assessment, they should have just steamrolled them, and didn't. I also said it would behoove the world powers to reassess their nuclear capability and got a lot of downvotes. The facts as they stand now, though, is the NK can't get a nuke to American territory, not even Alaska (let's not talk about Guam and Samoa, even America barely acknowledges they're part of America). Russia, on the other hand, might be able to, and we don't know for sure they can't. All they need is one good sub with working missiles. None of this really matters for Europe, and even 10% of their stockpile working would be devastating for the world, or at least the people living on it. I'd like to think that Putin put more effort into maintaining their status as a nuclear world power, but I would have thought the same of being a military world power, too.

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  • [–] 1 point 9 months ago

    There are things that are probably within reach of NK, such as Taiwan. TSMC manufactures the majority of the world's advanced microchips, and a fair chunk of the older stuff as well. NK can afford the oblivion of Taiwan, but almost everyone else would feel the shock for decades if Taiwan suddenly became a crater. To a lesser extent, the same can be said of Japan.

    Mind, the Trump Regime doesn't understand the value of Taiwan, so Kim probably couldn't use that as a direct hostage against the US. Trump tried to extort Taiwan, asking for money or else the protection of the US could be pulled. That is just... 🤦

    The key point, is that NK does have influence, it is just a question of how angry other nations would get if that stick smacks someone.

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  • [–] 1 point 9 months ago* (2 children)

    Everyday things like furnishings, food, how people treat each other, and so forth.

    Russia is not a post-apocalyptic hellscape (yet). They have pretty much the same food and furnishing as anyone else in the west. And learning about how people across the world treat each other from video games sounds like a horrible idea.

    Russians have been consuming US culture slop for a long while. Turns out, it doesn't help.

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  • [–] 6 points 9 months ago

    there's also a troubling trend in the gaming industry for the very most right wing propaganda to be promoted and pushed alongside gaming content. steam is not the true exposure to liberating ideology that will wake the chauvinists up. far more likely to make them go, "see, this is how the world works."

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  • [–] -2 points 9 months ago*

    A: Videogames are not just made by the US. As it turns out, Europe, Asia, Africa, and many other places create stuff. It is a way for people to explore other cultures, without needing a plane ticket nor permission from governments.

    B: Russia isn't known for its general prosperity for the ordinary person. Also, it is in a state of war, which means less of everything that people like. Constant reminders of what isn't there, may speed an end to Russia's aggression. Hopefully, things will go Nepalese.

    C: Be it books, games, or movies, the fundamental crux in many of them revolves around the interactions of people. A major element of videogames is helping out people and being helped in turn, trading things, meeting folks with different ideas and appearances, ect. These are good things for people to learn.

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