Jeez, why can't they put that much energy into doing something instead of undoing it? and why does it work so well only in that way? if there's only to subtract, can they go at least against real everyday threats instead of raining on some weirdo's parade? It' like if the more is about spite, the more momentum it gets. Miss the times when fads and hot topics were about projects, or at least quirky ideas, and less about boycott/targeing/showing rage
By the way, are you implying the most vocal and/or inflexible in this group may even act like this to compensate for actual bad behaviour? Is this already gone so down?!

(Removed) Nevermind.

just been reading through a Kotaku article

this one: https://kotaku.com/itch-io-nsfw-porn-games-delisted-collective-shout-1851786841

and found this sidenote

One of the real positives of Valve’s incredibly liberal approach to what it will sell is that it allows incredibly complex and difficult topics to be explored by brave developers. People regularly interrogate their own traumas through visual novels and interactive fiction, while others explore their sexual kinks via similar mediums. Victims of incest might want to create incredibly challenging games that process such experiences in healthy and productive ways—what happens here if it’s to turn out that “certain kinds” of adult themes includes such topics?

I don't think i've seen anyway view it this way yet. Is this sensible? It seems so lost in thought to me, Like why would i want to be confronted with anything that is touched by someone's terrible past?

Its less implying and more so a pattern one will see when looking into any group that rallies against anything in a sort of moral ethical and especially a ''think of the children'' Angle of things where they basically are trying to hide the fact they iether have done such things or worse ..that or protected people who have or are doing it.. Not saying all are but the overwhelming majority of times it seems to be the case from what I and others have found over the years when looking into any group or movement that act basically over the top in some fashion

I was checking out that site from collective shout and there is surely a lot of blaming and radical ideas going on there; including pointing at some of the worst examples and kinda "putting it with rage in front of a lot of higher ups".

Although, what those rich companies worry the most is not the "moralistic side of things" but if it could hurt their finances because there are many factors that could possibly become hurtful to them in a economical way. Of course if the possible loss is bigger than the expected gain then they usually will try to remove or at least reduce those risks.

Hmm yeah... another one bringing this matter up:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlEHovdeKZw

Not that i think that companies in general are not into ethics or morals, but it is generally not playing a big role unless some moralizers are bringing it up with a signature big enough so it may be able to cause some political or even juridical waves which may then as a follow up hurt their integrity and/or finances. This matter is well known and understood by those "groups" and usually used or even abused in order to achieve their "goals".

If they are creating a lot of unrest or bad side effects "on their path" is usually more or less ignored because their goal seems "that holy" to them... they are more or less turning a blind eye to those "side effects" they may be creating; that is why it often can be seen as a radical attitude.

To me... no matter if i would give those concerns any legitimacy, and perhaps surprisingly, i even do up to a certain extend. However, to me it is not the right way handling it with oppression or suppression, instead i would go to the very roots of those issues and if i see any capability i will be trying to change matters toward "the better" for all of us.

I mean, if i would see ONE bad thing, i could try to counter it with TWO good things (in my eyes). Until the point i may go out of breath and out of energy but with morals that strong... it is better to slowly "kick the bucket" while keeping up any dignity that is still left. Perhaps it may end into a self sacrifice but it surely is the most honorable way. If it may at some point succeed, then what comes out of it is truly long lasting as it may lead to a "ultimate agreement" that is far higher in reach than any sort of oppression. If someone want love, they have to seed love... it is a truth perhaps to blatant to even be able to realize and ultimately take into effect.

Yet indeed, my impression or expression of love is perhaps different and thats why it seems very hard to achieve in a world where hedonism is the main goal and not something trying to reach the very core.

Wow, well thought out note there. Definitely very sensible. Not that it should get there, the matter should start and end with the freedom to create, but yes, that is an excellent point.

Aha, then it is no mystery any more why the discussion never left the kindergarten

Indeed, quite a triple whammy there from this point of view.

But... it wasn't? I mean, the world has been going batshit insane pretty much all along (I may mull over arguments to the contrary about the period between the end of WW2 and the dawn of neoliberalism, so late 40s to late 70s, when there were some serious attempts from "the West" at development in positive, healthy, sustainable ways mixed with care and preservation, but then you had the Cold War and the various "real" wars during that period, the atrocities of communism, remaining colonialism, and so on). And, just looking at the major things started before this year and ongoing, Ukraine, Gaza, Trump, the continued rise of the far right, still ignoring the state of the environment and climate and so on, the forgotten wars in Sudan or Yemen... This is a really minor thing by comparison, just that it happens to affect... well, one of our hobbies... as opposed to the very survival of other people, or of the ecosystem as a whole.

kotaku's interest in this matter exhausts itself on the shores of LGBT content because, i bet you a million dollars it does, so no more than self serving hypocrisy from would be dictators worrying about how someone else's bid for dictatorship might impact their agenda.

It's amusing to see kotaku fumbling all over playing defense which is something it simply doesn't know how to do, they're all about offense, about unleashing them volleys of righteousness and vomiting pure, unadulterated hatred from the heights of the strata of moral purity down on to the unwashed masses below as amply demonstrated, time and time again, each and every time they've come after us growling and bearing fang and claw.

Even though we may regard entertainment as art, culture, education or something else, at the end of the day entertainment doesn't have to justify its place in the world by being more than strictly entertainment and creative freedom does not need to be wrapped around a ridiculous, disingenuous shroud of a DIY mental healthcare of sorts to be worthy of protection from all threats including those coming from entities that, like kotaku, have long taken on the role of an ever present threat to creative freedom.

Ask yourself this, had it been kotaku et al to get their hands on the muscle of payment processing companies what do you imagine we would be talking about in this thread ?

Nice, but let's stay on the topic of censorship please. Don't want this thread to devolve into political shit flinging contest about everything else too.

*shrug* Censorship was always a thing of those in power. Typically associated with conservatives, and the "think of the children" angle being used more and more in places where the old religious or traditionalistic arguments were failing, but in recent years the "progressive" cancel culture gave that a run for its money and even took precedence. So no surprise.

Another good question me thinks!

I'm on the side of the 'educated form of freedom'

Besides it is true: itch deindexed all adult games, according to what they was updating on their own site, around 2 days ago. So most likely the hentai content i was able to detect several days ago should be inaccessible by now. Which means, they are not a "alternate option" anymore, as they are being hit by those repressions even harder than GOG it seems. However... it is very unknown for how much longer GOG can keep up their "adult content" so, get it while it is still hot!

Sure, the adult stuff will not magically totally disappear, this feat no one was ever capable of. However... those games will now go pretty deep "underground" where the official control will be lower than ever. I am not sure if this can be considered a big win...

Some other video about:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4_2oQu6r4w

I was getting my most "sought after" adult-games by now, which was somehow doable as most of them had a price cut. There might be a few left but i have to take care at my coins now... can not afford it all.

Yeah its gone, i can not find anything "dirty" anymore... itch is as good as beaten!
On the 2 "main sites" so far... yes, but not sure what will happen next.

For now most affected games on itch are just deindexed. You can still find them with google if you know their names.

Can you still buy them? And without knowing names someone would be busted?