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4w ago

Mastercard Claims NSFW Game Bans Aren’t From Them, Valve Explains How Mastercard Launders Its Control

www.techdirt.com Mastercard Claims NSFW Game Bans Aren’t From Them, Valve Explains How Mastercard Launders Its Control

This whole attempted censorship of adult games on gaming platforms is becoming a thing. Collective Shout—a group out of Australia that wraps itself in a feminist flag while behaving like the religi…

Mastercard Claims NSFW Game Bans Aren’t From Them, Valve Explains How Mastercard Launders Its Control

Gaming @lemmy.zip

Mastercard Claims NSFW Game Bans Aren’t From Them, Valve Explains How Mastercard Launders Its Control

www.techdirt.com /2025/08/05/mastercard-claims-nsfw-game-bans-arent-from-them-valve-explains-how-mastercard-launders-its-control/

Mastercard Claims NSFW Game Bans Aren’t From Them, Valve Explains How Mastercard Launders Its Control

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Gaming @beehaw.org

Mastercard Claims NSFW Game Bans Aren’t From Them, Valve Explains How Mastercard Launders Its Control

www.techdirt.com /2025/08/05/mastercard-claims-nsfw-game-bans-arent-from-them-valve-explains-how-mastercard-launders-its-control/

Mastercard Claims NSFW Game Bans Aren’t From Them, Valve Explains How Mastercard Launders Its Control

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39 comments

If MasterCard doesn't have control over the NSFW bans, there is an easy way to solve this:
Announce that they are explicitly allowing NSFW purchases.
If they won't do that, then one of two things are true:
MasterCard doesn't have control over its process, to which point investors should question what value they provide
MasterCard is lying and they do have control over its processes, to which point merchants and consumers should question how much they can trust a company that will ban certain categories of purchases
- Yep and yet they won't because it's incredibly convenient for them to be able to maintain that kind of control while disavowing it at the same time.
  
  The proliferation of doublethink within the last ten years has been incredibly frightening.
  
  The point is that this would force them to show their hand. Either they will exercise control in this situation or they won't.
  If they don't, problem solved; and, if they do then we know who the problem is.
- Surely there are categories you think should be banned. MasterCard won't buy you heroin on the street corner. This has already been a thing, the only difference is now they came for our porn I guess.
  
  Buying illegal drugs is, well, illegal.
  Buying porn with money is fully legal. Buying a porn magazine at a brick and mortar store is fully legal. Buying fucking sex toys online and at a brick and mortar store is fully legal.
  MasterCard banning a specific category of goods because a small, yet vocal, group of people think they shouldn't exist is not only absolutely stupid but anticompetitive.
  
  Yeah, there are categories I think should be banned. But should they actually be banned just because I want them to be? Only if they are illegal. Some things are legal that I think shouldn't be, but that doesn't change the fact that it is legal, whether I want it to be or not. Therefore, so long as it is legal, transactions should be allowed whether I like them or not.
  Untill they make it my problem, I don't care about what people are paying for.
  
  I don't think giving that kind of arbitrary power to a small number of private entities is a great idea.
  
  By the government? Yep
  By a private entitiy? Ummm...No?

I love that MasterCard is pushing this shit under the guise of "brand damaging" products.
Yet this whole fiasco is the most brand damage they could ask for.

Valve, I already am a fanboy, no need to drive the point home.
- MasterCard will revoke your payment processing for that.

If the payment processors are entities separate from Mastercard, then why not name and shame them?
- Particularly as this is causing huge brand damage to MasterCard/Visa. If there is someone else who should take the issue, you'd think they'd point the issue at them and dust themselves off.

Good, point out their BS. Valve is doing lords work.

Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest?

If Mastercard really was not involved they would be suing for libel.

So what’s the problem? Mastercard says it’s not us and Steam says it’s not us. Just put em back up.

Is there any other payment method that works? Use them instead. If no, then just boycott MasterCard and whoever else, it's not like you're going to be able to buy your games anyway.
- Sadly both Mastercard and Visa have supported this practice and thats the 2 big ones.
  
  Dang, looks like I actually have to do some reading.
  Steam accepts major credit and debit card brands, including Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover.
  Digital wallets, such as PayPal and Skrill, offer a convenient and secure way to make payments on Steam.
  Steam gift cards can be purchased from various retailers, both online and offline, and can be redeemed on the Steam platform.
  In addition to these payment methods, Steam also supports other region-specific payment methods, such as iDeal in the Netherlands, Sofort in Germany, and WebMoney in Russia.
  Looks like there is a way. Is there a will?
- I haven't heard Amex mentioned in any of this so, I guess they're ok?
  
  They're a lot smaller by comparison. Not a lot of places accept American Express (and the few that do tend to do it for an increased surcharge), where many more would take a Visa/Mastercard.
  
  I wouldn't know, I don't buy games ever since I found out I didn't buy games, merely licensed them. Which is kind of ironic as I would assume most of the censored games are available on the high seas.

What's the best way to pay for games that doesn't involve MasterCard, visa, PayPal, or any other company currently pulling this bullshit?
- SEPA or giftcards
  That goes through the bank/cash to voucher

39 comments