this post was submitted on 03 Sep 2025
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I keep seeing people try to pin the Steam/Itch censorship wave on “feminists” or “progressives.” Let’s set the record straight: the real crusade against video games has almost ALWAYS come from the Right.

1990s–2000s: Jack Thompson, conservative politicians, and Christian lobbyists blamed Doom, Mortal Kombat, and GTA for school shootings. They tried to get them outright banned.

2000s: Congress ran hearings about “protecting the children,” targeting Rockstar and Midway. Games like Bully and Manhunt were dragged into court.

Today: It’s groups like Collective Shout (a conservative, Christian-aligned org in Australia) pressuring Mastercard, Visa, and PayPal to choke off funding. U.S. Republicans push bills like KOSA, obscenity laws, and age verification that threaten all online content.

Meanwhile, feminists and progressive devs have been the ones defending creative freedom. all we did as just SLIGHTLY criticize some of the goonerbait designs and refused to support Hogwarts Legacy since JKR would 100% use the money she made from the game to fund anti-trans bills

the same people who blamed Anita Sarkeesian for “censorship” are now celebrating when Collective Shout goes after LGBTQ+ creators.

Let’s not rewrite history. The far-right has always been the biggest enemy of video games. They’re the ones still trying to erase queer content, control adult art, and dictate what can and can’t exist.

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[–] GamersOfTheWorld@hexbear.net 21 points 16 hours ago* (last edited 16 hours ago)

Feminists: Uhh... Hot take, I guess, maybe you shouldn't portray all of your feminine characters as always horny lust demons?

Rightists: pigmask-off ALL VIDEO GAMES MUST INCLUDE THE 14 WORDS. THIS IS NON-NEGOTIABLE.

G*mers: same-picture

Honestly, this makes me want to write an essay on the natural "moderate" nature of leftism and the natural "extremist" nature of rightism, as in the nature of humanitarians (catch-all term for leftists, primitive communists, whatever) to not immediately resort to violent action, contradictory to the nature of exploiters and oppressors to immediately resort to violent action. I know it doesn't have any basis in modern-day politics as the contradictions are contradicting and even the leftists are justifiably angry, but it'd still be a good thing to analyze, I think.