Valve Was Forced To Censor Games, Now They've Outed Mastercard

Summary

The video explores the growing influence of payment processors like Mastercard and Visa in controlling which games are available for sale on platforms like Steam and Itch.io. Amidst controversy surrounding content restrictions, an activist group, Collective Shout, pressured platforms to remove specific adult content, resulting in a massive purge of games. Valve and Itch.io struggled with these demands, as payment processors imposed vague rules about 'artistic value' and content policies. The gaming community responded by flooding call centers, highlighting the complex intersection of payment systems, censorship, and artistic freedom in the gaming industry.

Takeaways

• 😀 Mastercard is exerting control over what games can be sold on platforms by penalizing stores for selling content deemed to have no artistic value.
• 😀 Collective Shout, an activist group, played a significant role in pressuring payment processors, leading to the delisting of certain adult content on platforms like Steam and Itch.
• 😀 The mass removal of content from Steam and Itch was largely a result of payment processor policies and their stance on ‘artistic value’ rather than legal requirements.
• 😀 The content that was delisted from platforms, while deemed inappropriate by payment processors, was not necessarily illegal, highlighting the difference between legal restrictions and financial risk management.
• 😀 Itch.io had to remove a large amount of content due to its open platform nature and a small staff, but reassured that de-indexed games are still available unless creators removed them.
• 😀 Payment processors, including Stripe, have been pulling back on processing payments for certain types of content, citing public relations risks and the threat of chargebacks as their primary concern.
• 😀 Valve’s handling of content policies in response to Mastercard’s demands for removal of certain games has been heavily influenced by the threat of financial penalties for non-compliance.
• 😀 Valve confirmed that Mastercard’s rules, including restrictions on content that could 'reflect negatively' on the company or 'lacks serious artistic value,' have led to some controversial game removals.
• 😀 Valve faced backlash after denying the launch of ‘Vile Exumed,’ a game that explored misogyny and parasocial relationships through horror, citing content that violated their policies on sexual content involving real people.
• 😀 The public outcry from gamers and creators flooding payment processors’ call centers helped bring attention to the issue, forcing these companies to address the negative PR and reconsider their policies.
• 😀 The issue of content removal in the gaming industry has revealed the power of payment processors in controlling which games make it to platforms, with far-reaching consequences for developers and creators.

Q & A

What is the primary issue discussed in the script?

The primary issue discussed is how payment processors, particularly Mastercard, have begun influencing what games can be sold on platforms like Steam and Itch.io, by imposing restrictions on content they deem lacking in 'artistic value' or 'reflecting negatively' on their brand.

Why did Mastercard become involved in the censorship of games on Steam and Itch?

Mastercard became involved due to their policies regarding the content of games, including what they consider illegal or lacking artistic value. Their intervention led to platforms like Steam and Itch removing or de-indexing games to comply with Mastercard's rules.

What was Collective Shout’s role in this situation?

Collective Shout is an activism group that initially reached out to payment processors after Steam ignored their concerns about adult content on platforms. They were vocal about removing content involving sexualized violence and torture of women, though their actions led to broader content removal.

How did Steam respond to the pressure from Mastercard and the activism groups?

Steam responded by removing or restricting games that might breach the rules set by payment processors. Valve confirmed that Mastercard influenced their decisions indirectly through intermediaries and that they had to comply with Mastercard's policy regarding content deemed 'unacceptable.'

What were the consequences for Itch.io following the involvement of payment processors?

Itch.io had to deal with mass de-indexing of content, as they could not manually remove specific games due to the platform being open and having limited staff. However, they clarified that games weren’t deleted, just made less accessible, and they planned to reindex free adult content as a workaround.

What is the significance of Stripe's position in this issue?

Stripe's position was important as it confirmed that they could not process payments for content related to 'gratification,' not due to legal reasons but because of their banking partners’ risk management policies. This further clarified that payment processors were not enforcing laws but adhering to internal policies.

Why did Valve release a rare statement about the issue?

Valve released a rare statement in response to Mastercard’s actions and the growing confusion around the removal of legal content. They clarified that Mastercard had pressured payment processors to remove content that reflected negatively on their brand or lacked 'serious artistic value.'

What did Valve reveal about their internal discussions with Mastercard?

Valve revealed that Mastercard did not communicate directly with them but instead worked through intermediaries to enforce their rules. Valve explained that Mastercard's rule 5.12.7 was being applied to restrict content that could negatively impact their brand or was seen as lacking artistic value.

How did gamers respond to the actions taken by Mastercard and payment processors?

Gamers responded by flooding call centers with complaints, creating guides on how to reach the right departments, and using scripts to engage with representatives. This collective action led to increased pressure on payment processors to address the situation, which ultimately caused them to reconsider some of their policies.

What is the broader implication of the payment processors' actions on the gaming industry?

The broader implication is the potential chilling effect on creative freedom in the gaming industry. The involvement of payment processors in determining what constitutes acceptable content undermines the independence of platforms and developers, potentially stifling artistic expression and innovation in games.