This is a ridiculous article. People are not their government. The fact that Russia is a non-democratic government even makes it even worse. The russian people still deserve to earn a wage, to pay for their necessities, even if their taxes - unfortunately - support a warmongering dictator, and they’re suffering through a draft. How is this any worse than the US government that not only builds itself on constant foreign interference as well as flat out invasions? And their soldiers willingly enlist. Should we ask that every american citizen starve themselves because their taxes support the military? Should we call that companies stop employing US citizens and drive them into poverty because of the countless atrocities the United States support?
To call out a foreign country on not standing up against their leaders is absurd. They control the policemen and the army, they have the weapons, the finances, and the policies. Why didn’t americans - the supposedly defenders of democracy - not easily depose Trump if that’s all it takes? Why are they struggling with a bipartisan system in which both candidates openly support the Palestinian genocide? Why not make a call for the rest of the world to abandon them and just let them die out? Its almost like its not that easy to change your entire nation, huh?
v4ld1z@lemmy.zip 2 months ago
This debate had been brought up back when Atomic Heart was bound to be released. Many people argued back then that it’s fine buying the game since the dev team had completely relocated to Cyprus (very popular country for Russians to move to next to Kazakhstan and numerous European countries), thus not funding the Russian government through taxes.
However, given that the dev team still lives in Russia this time, there’s not much to debate. The figures the author mentions check out and there’s no other way to put it, really, that gamers are, in part at least, funding Russia.
Sure, the company might have opposing views to Russia, but firstly, they haven’t moved to a different country, which is at least a little concerning, and secondly, are a legal entity in Russia, so they pay them regardless of motivation.
theangriestbird@beehaw.org 2 months ago
It’s interesting to compare to the Israel-Palestine debate, too. By the same logic, one should avoid buying any games from US-based developers, because those taxes are going to fund the genocide in Gaza. But of course, when you follow the logic to that end, one starts to consider their own income taxes in that debate.
Gaywallet@beehaw.org 2 months ago
Just because there’s no ethical consumption under capitalism doesn’t mean that we have zero control over what we consume. It’s perfectly fine to hold a viewpoint of trying to minimize harm where you can and when your’re aware of it.
stardust@lemmy.ca 2 months ago
I think it’s better to just admit someone doesn’t care and they want to consume than trying to creating some moral loopholes for why it is excusable for a product they really want.
It’s like piracy. Some try so hard to morally justify it. Others just admit I want it for free. In the end we just want to consume. I sure do. I want my product.
DdCno1@beehaw.org 2 months ago
Reductio ad absurdum, meet your distant cousin, reductio ad Judeam.
v4ld1z@lemmy.zip 2 months ago
Yea that’s a valid point. Not really sure where to draw the line
DdCno1@beehaw.org 2 months ago
The difference with Atomic Heart is that it wasn’t just made by a Russian developer, but that it also promoted a questionable outlook on the Soviet Union that closely mirrors the one the current Russian government is promoting.
v4ld1z@lemmy.zip 2 months ago
Right, that was a thing too