GTA games "At Risk" Of Being Delisted By Payment Processors

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Obi WanX Konami 5 Aug @ 6:11am

GTA games "At Risk" Of Being Delisted By Payment Processors

https://www.thegamer.com/grand-theft-auto-saints-row-duke-nukem-at-risk-payment-processors-delisting-adult-games-steam-itch-collective-shout/

ZOOM Platform representative told GamingOnLinux that, during conversations with payment processors, titles like "Grand Theft Auto, Duke Nukem, and Saints Row were described as potentially at risk" of being delisted, confirming worries that adult games aren't the only target of this campaign.

ZOOM has "no plans to remove any titles" and is instead exploring alternate payment options, such as a wallet system, which will allow "users to add funds to their account and spend them on all of [its] products". GOG is likewise refusing to delist adult games and instead made 13 of them free for 48 hours in protest. However, ZOOM doesn't sell any Saints Row or GTA titles, whereas Steam—which has removed adult games—does.

Payment processors first took notice of adult games on these storefronts because of Collective Shout, an Australian political group that stands "against objectification of women" in media.

Founded in 2009 by feminist and anti-p*rnography activist Melinda Tankard Reist, it has launched several campaigns against video games over the last two decades, most notably Grand Theft Auto 5. In 2014, it claimed that Rockstar's open-world sandbox "encourages players to brutally murder women for entertainment", calling on the game to be banned. GTA 5 was banned in several retail chains in Australian.

As the group is the driving force behind the delisting campaign, it would certainly make sense that any game it has previously taken issue with, like GTA, would be "at risk". This has been a major concern since it was discovered that Collective Shout was the one urging payment processors to take action.

Last edited by Obi WanX Konami; 6 Aug @ 2:44am

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Showing 1-15 of 23 comments

Roundabout 5 Aug @ 6:16am

Some people won't listen until it impacts their own favorite games.

We warned them and they didn't listen.

Last edited by Roundabout; 5 Aug @ 6:24am

Lone Wolf 5 Aug @ 6:27am

Even if Collective Shout had power in the Australian government, which contrary to claims I don't believe for a second that they do... on an Economic and Geopolitical level...

Australia is just nothing more than an insignificant island country in the middle of the pacific when you compare it to the US, the EU, and BRICS.

If Germany with all its power and the EU behind it couldn't get violence banned from video games, what makes you think Australia could. Especially since Violence is used to try to desensitize youths to violence and more or less a lot of the modern military shooters are basically just US Army Propaganda to begin with?

Yeah, none of this is going to happen. Maybe instead of looking at the title of an article... read it.

Obi WanX Konami 5 Aug @ 6:35am

Originally posted by Amaterasu:
Even if Collective Shout had power in the Australian government, which contrary to claims I don't believe for a second that they do... on an Economic and Geopolitical level...

Australia is just nothing more than an insignificant island country in the middle of the pacific when you compare it to the US, the EU, and BRICS.

If Germany with all its power and the EU behind it couldn't get violence banned from video games, what makes you think Australia could. Especially since Violence is used to try to desensitize youths to violence and more or less a lot of the modern military shooters are basically just US Army Propaganda to begin with?

Yeah, none of this is going to happen. Maybe instead of looking at the title of an article... read it.

Right back at you. I posted the Article text.

Collective Shout influenced payment processors like Mastercard to get games banned on Steam which are not illegal. They have power. They used it and won. All they have to do is convince Mastercard or other payment processors that a game is disgusting and will damage Mastercards Brand and they win. Simple.

Right now in Australia, Germany, UK and America they are passing legislation that can and will censor games and other forms of media due to pressure from groups like collective shout. Some people are not paying attention.

Last edited by Obi WanX Konami; 5 Aug @ 6:36am

Mad Scientist 5 Aug @ 6:44am

Originally posted by Obi WanX Konami:
ZOOM Platform representative told GamingOnLinux that

That's a full-stop moment. I'm not aware of a "zoom (video game) store" or "zoom payment processor", is this zoom as in the business-conference zoom? If so, they have basically zero relevancy for this subject - so we should just believe some random "representative" was talking to payment processors directly about video game stores and the payment processor contractual obligations have with the stores?
This seems like either zoom - or whoever claims this came from zoom - is just manufacturing stuff just to create more needless outrage/fear-mongering of "theyre coming for everything else next!" especially for products sold on the store for a long time.

Last edited by Mad Scientist; 5 Aug @ 6:51am

Mannenuanen 5 Aug @ 6:46am

Isn't this funny how all of it happens after sweet baby inc has failed its mission and their promise that they gonna destroy gaming industry after it?

Last edited by Mannenuanen; 5 Aug @ 6:53am

Lone Wolf 5 Aug @ 6:47am

Originally posted by Mannenuanen:
Isn't this funny how all of it happens after sweet baby inc has failed its mission?

"Isn't it funny that we believe that an organization with no economic power is doing this after another organization that had no economic power failed to do what we believed it set out to do".

Fixed it for you.

RIP Ozzy Greatest Human Ever 5 Aug @ 6:47am

Originally posted by Mannenuanen:
Isn't this funny how all of it happens after sweet baby inc has failed its mission?

Same people different name.

SLAYER187 5 Aug @ 6:48am

There is no such thing as banned! It is a human choice not a thing and it is usually a choice when someone wants their way. Remember the GTA SA hot coffee mod? just an example of when you tell human beings that something is too this or that what happens? It gets too the point where it spreads more and more. There is no power only influence and lies to benefit one's own agenda. They are no better then what they are trying too do. Mastercard is corrupt and the rumor is they will be gone, but that is yet too be seen.

Obi WanX Konami 6 Aug @ 2:45am

Originally posted by Roundabout:
Some people won't listen until it impacts their own favorite games.

We warned them and they didn't listen.

This

Shotgun 6 Aug @ 3:02am

The people who own Visa and Mastercard are the same people who own triple-A publishers like Take-Two Interactive (who own the GTA IP).

So don't worry, they'll never go after the $100 AAAA sloppa because they have a lot of equity riding on those sales. They're only going to go after your favorite Japanese-made catgirl visual novels and indie-made "industry terrorist" projects like Expedition 33. Your AIPAC-approved DEI "interactive cinematic experience" will be safe.

#10

Draug 6 Aug @ 3:11am

Originally posted by Mad Scientist:
Originally posted by Obi WanX Konami:
ZOOM Platform representative told GamingOnLinux that
That's a full-stop moment. I'm not aware of a "zoom (video game) store" or "zoom payment processor", is this zoom as in the business-conference zoom? If so, they have basically zero relevancy for this subject - so we should just believe some random "representative" was talking to payment processors directly about video game stores and the payment processor contractual obligations have with the stores?
This seems like either zoom - or whoever claims this came from zoom - is just manufacturing stuff just to create more needless outrage/fear-mongering of "theyre coming for everything else next!" especially for products sold on the store for a long time.

No, ZOOM-Platform is a retro game vender and developer, it is not the conference software.

I doubt they made anything up. On the other hand I fully recognize this as a PR stunt on their end to get their name out there.

#11

Draug 6 Aug @ 3:16am

Originally posted by Shotgun:
The people who own Visa and Mastercard are the same people who own triple-A publishers like Take-Two Interactive (who own the GTA IP).

So don't worry, they'll never go after the $100 AAAA sloppa because they have a lot of equity riding on those sales. They're only going to go after your favorite Japanese-made catgirl visual novels and indie-made "industry terrorist" projects like Expedition 33. Your AIPAC-approved DEI "interactive cinematic experience" will be safe.

If Visa or MasterCard owns a stake in TakeTwo it isn't a very large take, as in less than 2%

#12

mov eax 6 Aug @ 5:13am

In my opinion zoom is just trying to get attention and those who spread these news are those who are trying get support for their protest against their favourite adult "games" being removed.

#13

Doctor Zalgo 6 Aug @ 5:23am

Originally posted by Amaterasu:
Even if Collective Shout had power in the Australian government, which contrary to claims I don't believe for a second that they do... on an Economic and Geopolitical level...

Australia is just nothing more than an insignificant island country in the middle of the pacific when you compare it to the US, the EU, and BRICS.

If Germany with all its power and the EU behind it couldn't get violence banned from video games, what makes you think Australia could. Especially since Violence is used to try to desensitize youths to violence and more or less a lot of the modern military shooters are basically just US Army Propaganda to begin with?

Yeah, none of this is going to happen. Maybe instead of looking at the title of an article... read it.

I promise the Australian government has more going on than wanting to alienate voters by dealing with an issue that was resolved when we got an R rating for video games, they've got 'real world problems' to deal with.

#14