Valve Criticized for Removing LGBTQ+-Themed Game from Steam at Russia's Request

Valve, the company behind the popular PC gaming platform Steam, has been accused of censoring content at the request of the Russian government. According to a report, the Russian media regulatory body, Roskomnadzor, asked Valve to remove the card game Flick Solitaire from Steam due to its LGBTQ+ artwork, which allegedly violates a 2006 federal law. While Apple and Google reportedly ignored the request, Valve removed the game from the Russian version of Steam, citing a violation of its rules. The move has been met with criticism, with the founder of Flick Games emphasizing the importance of protecting LGBTQ+ content and advocating for transparency in Steam's content moderation strategy. This incident is not the first time Valve has faced criticism for its approach to content moderation, having previously allowed and then removed other controversial games from its platform.