That’s how to cease operating in a country.

Valve should cease operating in Russia.

comply with the law

Because Google & Apple don’t comply w/homophobic imperial out-border “laws.”

When “the right thing to do” enters in conflict with “what maximises profits”, businesses almost always pick the later.

What makes this decision particularly stark is the response from other tech giants. The same censorship notice was sent to Apple and Google, as the game has been available on their Russian mobile stores since 2020. Both companies reportedly ignored the request, leaving Flick Solitaire available for download.

It’s a matter of relative power.

Gabe needs НКВД money.

If they don’t like it, they can leave Russia.

Where do you draw that line?

Start here?

Takes games put in cart for black Friday sale out of cart. Goes outside instead.

Are you sure about that? Apple.

Google, fair enough, but I don’t know to what extent they actually do business in Russia. Can you buy a pixel in Russia?

Then yeah, I’m surprised valve is cooperating. I suppose they are planning for the future, should the sanctions end.

I don’t disagree.

It’s not as simple as about backbone. I agree that ethics are a good reason to stop doing business with an individual but if a company like Valve were to pull out of every country based on ethical matters, they’d need to found their own country.

Valve had a big piracy problem in russia and it was ofc because of service issues. While I obviously don’t agree with this censorship and would prefer valve to entirely pull out of russia, I can see why they are absolutely not doing that. They want to provide the best PC gaming store service across the world, and they don’t want competitors or piracy to eat into their sales

They ignored (legitimate) youth protection laws long enough, they could ignore this one, too.

“Non-traditional”? Homosexuality has been around and recorded since the Romans and even prior. 2000+ years isn’t traditional? That’s just as long as Christianity.

It’s a dictatorship. It’s not logic. Fuck the Kremlin.

Also, Valve with every other company should already have been ordered to stop operating in Russia by their respective countries.

I can’t answer if Pussians^inten^ can buy a pixel or not. But I guess even Tim Cook needs НКВД money.

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.