You are right

It’s not really practical to ban political discussions when so many devs insist on injecting their political views into their games.

For example, the Tony Hawk remake was made by a company that’s website has one page dedicated to upcoming game development and twelve pages dedicated to who the devs sleep with, what “gender identity” they have and several other divisive far-left political groups tied to violence. At first glance you would just assume it’s an activist group and not a game development studio.

What is steam supposed to do when they have countless companies like that releasing games on the platform and running their own steam forum? It’s not like it’s small indie games that steam can just remove either, these are large AAA studios that sell a lot of copies.

引用自 Shreddy：

It’s not really practical to ban political discussions when so many devs insist on injecting their political views into their games.

This has always been the case.

引用自 Shreddy：

For example, the Tony Hawk remake was made by a company that’s website has one page dedicated to upcoming game development and twelve pages dedicated to who the devs sleep with, what “gender identity” they have and several other divisive far-left political groups tied to violence. At first glance you would just assume it’s an activist group and not a game development studio.

Inclusivity is not divisiveness. Also, stop trying to inject your us vs them nonsense into this thread, thanks.

引用自 Shreddy：

What is steam supposed to do when they have countless companies like that releasing games on the platform and running their own steam forum? It’s not like it’s small indie games that steam can just remove either, these are large AAA studios that sell a lot of copies.

Ban all political and religious discussions. Easy.

Valve is a privately owned company; Gabe can say whatever he wants, and it doesn't really matter.

No shareholders to please, no stock that can crash if he says the "wrong" things.

That he has to talk to Congress is just another funny idea of the Orangeman president and his desperate attempt to distract from him being in the Epstein files.

EDIT: But yeah, personally I also think that Valve should ban political or religious threads.

It's a bit different if we talk about people's profiles, there, users should be somewhat allowed to express who they are. including politics or religion, I mean, as long as it's not stuff that's against the law.

Should they ban "politics" as a very vague blanket ban on basically everything? No.

Should they take action against threads that are very clearly violating the rules against hate speech and harassment sooner? Definitely.

But changing the rules is neither necessary nor sufficient to do that.

引用自 Ben Lubar：

Should they ban "politics" as a very vague blanket ban on basically everything? No.

Should they take action against threads that are very clearly violating the rules against hate speech and harassment sooner? Definitely.

But changing the rules is neither necessary nor sufficient to do that.

I think it just needs to go back to what it was.

Politics can be discussed if it directly relates to the in-game politically designed aspects in that fictional world, or historical political references. No modern real life politics (within the last century or so) should be discussed anywhere.

If people want to discuss that, they can make a steam group, chat in steam DMs or do it off-platform.

引用自 Ben Lubar：

Should they ban "politics" as a very vague blanket ban on basically everything? No.

Should they take action against threads that are very clearly violating the rules against hate speech and harassment sooner? Definitely.

But changing the rules is neither necessary nor sufficient to do that.

There used to be codified rules against the discussions of religion and politics. The forums were manageable in that state. Those rules must be reinstated and enforced, with first-time offenses leading to month-long community-wide bans.

Valve's moderation team should also be entirely replaced with those who will act swiftly and decisively on matters, rather than let threads calling for discrimination and harassment go on for as long as they do in forums such as off topic, as well as the multitudes of gaming forums that exist here.

That, or they can do one better: shut down the forums entirely, as it is clear that not them, nor any developer, care to take feedback on these forums and use it to improve products or services, let alone moderate their services properly. It'd save Valve quite a bit of money to do so as well, I'd imagine.

引用自 datCookie：

引用自 Ben Lubar：

Should they ban "politics" as a very vague blanket ban on basically everything? No.

Should they take action against threads that are very clearly violating the rules against hate speech and harassment sooner? Definitely.

But changing the rules is neither necessary nor sufficient to do that.

I think it just needs to go back to what it was.

Politics can be discussed if it directly relates to the in-game politically designed aspects in that fictional world, or historical political references. No modern real life politics (within the last century or so) should be discussed anywhere.

If people want to discuss that, they can make a steam group, chat in steam DMs or do it off-platform.

So you want to ban me from answering truthfully when someone asks what gender I am or my preferred pronouns?

Steam exists on planet Earth. People from planet Earth use Steam. In 2025. Not 1925.

引用自 Ben Lubar：

So you want to ban me from answering truthfully when someone asks what gender I am or my preferred pronouns?

Steam exists on planet Earth. People from planet Earth use Steam. In 2025. Not 1925.

I have no issues with those kinds of questions, because they aren't politics. I know people love to connect them to politics all the time, especially because of how a certain, large group of people feel about them.

But there is nothing wrong with it.

引用自 Ben Lubar：

引用自 datCookie：

I think it just needs to go back to what it was.

Politics can be discussed if it directly relates to the in-game politically designed aspects in that fictional world, or historical political references. No modern real life politics (within the last century or so) should be discussed anywhere.

If people want to discuss that, they can make a steam group, chat in steam DMs or do it off-platform.

So you want to ban me from answering truthfully when someone asks what gender I am or my preferred pronouns?

Steam exists on planet Earth. People from planet Earth use Steam. In 2025. Not 1925.

Nobody was inferring that. Calm down.

引用自 м：

Valve is a privately owned company; Gabe can say whatever he wants, and it doesn't really matter.

No shareholders to please, no stock that can crash if he says the "wrong" things.

That he has to talk to Congress is just another funny idea of the Orangeman president and his desperate attempt to distract from him being in the Epstein files.

EDIT: But yeah, personally I also think that Valve should ban political or religious threads.

It's a bit different if we talk about people's profiles, there, users should be somewhat allowed to express who they are. including politics or religion, I mean, as long as it's not stuff that's against the law.

引用自 datCookie：

引用自 Ben Lubar：

Should they ban "politics" as a very vague blanket ban on basically everything? No.

Should they take action against threads that are very clearly violating the rules against hate speech and harassment sooner? Definitely.

But changing the rules is neither necessary nor sufficient to do that.

I think it just needs to go back to what it was.

Politics can be discussed if it directly relates to the in-game politically designed aspects in that fictional world, or historical political references. No modern real life politics (within the last century or so) should be discussed anywhere.

If people want to discuss that, they can make a steam group, chat in steam DMs or do it off-platform.

引用自 datCookie：

引用自 Ben Lubar：

So you want to ban me from answering truthfully when someone asks what gender I am or my preferred pronouns?

Steam exists on planet Earth. People from planet Earth use Steam. In 2025. Not 1925.

I have no issues with those kinds of questions, because they aren't politics. I know people love to connect them to politics all the time, especially because of how a certain, large group of people feel about them.

But there is nothing wrong with it.

100% agreed on all of the above. Don’t really have anything to add. Just yes, please.

引用自 Garbage：

How many times has it been told to any of you at Valve to ban political and religious discussion from the Steam forums? And now look at where it's landed you guys: Gaben in front of congress.

This very outcome is the proof of two things:

1. Valve's employees and support do not read the suggestions forums. Period.

2. Political and religious discussion must be banned from Steam. Forever.

If number 1 is true then what was the point of this post stating Valve isn't listening other than for our entertainment?

引用自 Garbage：

Those rules must be reinstated and enforced, with first-time offenses leading to month-long community-wide bans.

Thats the self-described tolerant side, folks.

引用自 AmsterdamHeavy：

引用自 Garbage：

Those rules must be reinstated and enforced, with first-time offenses leading to month-long community-wide bans.

Thats the self-described tolerant side, folks.

I am not on a "side". That rhetoric is exclusive to the Americans doing their thing. But, if you're okay with the increase in discrimination across the forums, just say it and get it out of your system. Bravery is rewarded here.

引用自 Garbage：

Political and religious discussion must be banned from Steam. Forever.

Sounds like reactionary behavior from an enemy of free speech.