Let’s be honest with each other. You probably think you are a good person. You might even have a Ukrainian flag in your bio or have donated ten bucks to a charity once. But then you go home, turn on your PC, and log into Valve’s platform. You see a cool new cyberpunk game or a post-apocalyptic shooter made by a studio based in Moscow or St. Petersburg. You click "Buy" without a second thought. Congratulations, you just played yourself and the entire free world.
The problem is simple, but nobody wants to talk about it because it ruins the mood. When you buy a product from a Russian developer, that money doesn't just vanish into a vacuum. It goes into the Russian economy. The developers pay income taxes, the studio pays corporate taxes, and all that cash flows into the Kremlin’s war chest. It is absurd that Steam funding the war is still a reality in 2024, yet here we are. Gabe Newell and his company are taking a cut while facilitating the transfer of Western currency straight into the pockets of the enemy.
Take the recent release of Hail To The Rainbow. It looks interesting, right? Good graphics, nice atmosphere. But buying it is a moral crime. It is not about "hating ordinary developers." It is about math. That game sale converts to tax rubles. Those rubles convert into artillery shells. Those shells hit real houses.
The most stupid part of this situation involves the United States and Europe. American and European taxpayers are funding aid packages to help Ukraine survive. Yet, those same taxpayers are gamers who willingly hand over their dollars and euros to the Russian economy for digital toys. You are essentially funding both sides of the conflict. One hand gives a shield, the other hand buys a sword for the attacker.
Stop making excuses. "I just want to play" is a weak argument when people are dying. You need to check where the game comes from. If you ignore the origin of the product, you are complicit. It is time to wake up and close your wallet.
