Alexstarfire@lemmy.world
on 17 Nov 2024 07:45
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That’s rich.
Agent_Karyo@lemmy.world
on 17 Nov 2024 07:47
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It will most definitely be banned (they even shut down one of the few Ukrainian language libraries in russia before the full scale invasion) and likely it won’t be available in russian anyway.
Good. Hopefully russia also bans all the games portraying LGBT characters and ethnic minorities, so I can fucking play Overwatch without running into these assholes every other match
Agent_Karyo@lemmy.world
on 17 Nov 2024 15:52
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I am surprised it’s not already banned. They were going to ban Duolingo because of presence of animated LGBT characters. Duolingo caved and made a custom “LGBT free” version for the russian market.
oof. If Blizzard does that, they’d have to cut like at least 1/3 of the characters lmao
mrfriki@lemmy.world
on 17 Nov 2024 08:06
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The question is whether they have the intention of publishing it in Russia in the first place.
Agent_Karyo@lemmy.world
on 17 Nov 2024 09:26
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Russian users can still use workarounds to purchase from the steam store. I believe this is a big business for some enterprising users in other countries.
webghost0101@sopuli.xyz
on 17 Nov 2024 10:33
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Where there is prohibition there is business. Always has been.
Bonesince1997@lemmy.world
on 17 Nov 2024 08:14
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Russian pigs
Hobbes_Dent@lemmy.world
on 17 Nov 2024 08:17
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It’s maybe my fault.
I immediately abandoned BF2042 after the second invasion of Ukraine because it was full of Russians and ‘expat’ or not I ain’t cosplaying as those assholes.
Agent_Karyo@lemmy.world
on 17 Nov 2024 09:27
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I can’t even watch russian movies or listen to russian music (even artists that have openly opposed the full scale invasion). It just gets me in a bad mood.
Any time I see a russian flag on the internet, it’s like seeing a nazi flag. I start thinking “Why the fuck is this here?”.
andrew_bidlaw@sh.itjust.works
on 17 Nov 2024 13:44
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That bad blood would take ages to clean.
Agent_Karyo@lemmy.world
on 17 Nov 2024 14:25
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It’s not going to clear, because the russians won’t change.
Not because there is something inherently malicious about them/their culture. That’s bullshit.
It’s the choices they make. And they will continue to make the choice to support genocidal imperialism because they have zero incentive to change.
Western coddling about “they are just afraid, what can they do?” is a massive disservice to the russians (not to mention the countries on the recieving end of their genocidal imperialism).
andrew_bidlaw@sh.itjust.works
on 17 Nov 2024 14:34
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May I ask you to elaborate on your last paragraph. About the disservice. What do you mean?
ed: deleted a pointless preambula
Agent_Karyo@lemmy.world
on 17 Nov 2024 15:23
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Engaging with russian victim-hood polemics is not going to help bring about any positive change in russian society.
Pretending that russian society does not consist of a strong majority of genocidal imperialists. Coming up with fantasies about how “everyone is just afraid” so they are just pretending to support imperialism. Turns out you can estimate preference falsification and it is relatively minor at ~10% with the impact being a change in support from ~75% to 65% (still a strong majority) for the full scale invasion of Ukraine.
Not putting Navalniy on the pedestal. He was a committed racist and imperialist. He was also a fool who decided to go back to russia, got himself put in jail and got himself killed. If the russians can’t find a better leader, then that’s on them.
What is your (the russian opposition’s) strategy for russia? Everything you’ve done so far has been a massive failure. Your organization is in exile and your husband foolishly decided to go back to russian prison where he was killed. What are russians going to do next?
Finally, there are those who advocate for the urgent “decolonization” of Russia, arguing to split our vast country into several smaller, safer states. However, these “decolonizers” can’t explain why people with shared backgrounds and culture should be artificially divided. Nor do they say how this process should even take place.
You killed 5% of the civilian population in Chechnya, including in brutal targeted attacks and you speak about artificially divided? If 7 million russian civilians (roughly 5% of the population) were killed, would you be taking such a cavalier attitude?
If the russians do want to change their society for the better, they need to first confront the issues above. They will never achieve anything if they keep playing dumb. There is no reason to choose a “putin lite” over the real deal.
andrew_bidlaw@sh.itjust.works
on 17 Nov 2024 15:29
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Hugh, that’s more based than I thought it would be. I’d reply again when I have a break.
rockerface@lemm.ee
on 17 Nov 2024 15:40
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“Shared background and culture” more like forcefully homogenised by russian empire and then ussr. Jesus Christ there is no end to the gaslighting
andrew_bidlaw@sh.itjust.works
on 17 Nov 2024 17:22
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Your reply is irrelevant to that exact conversation.
andrew_bidlaw@sh.itjust.works
on 17 Nov 2024 18:48
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They will never achieve anything if they keep playing dumb. There is no reason to choose a “putin lite” over the real deal.
They won’t, unless something slaps them hard enough, maybe? But what would sober them up? Being denied the capture of Kiev - didn’t. Denied on Kharkiv -didn’t. Prigo’s march - didn’t. Prigo’s murder - didn’t. Whole forests burning and towns getting flooded - these didn’t do much. And losing parts of Kursk region didn’t do that as well. Where’s the limit to them? What would exceed their tolerance to humiliation? Idk. They are still happy to suck someone’s ass and direct their anger as the party says.
Russia currently has no culture, as many talents from Ukraine and other states left, as many conscious russian artists left too, TV programs are all about referencing and reproducing songs, movies, ideas of the past. There’s literally a genre of shows based in nostalgic reproduction and it is the only thing other than propaganda that exists and thrives. The whole country is a human centipede that sucks it’s own shit. And it’s impotent to produce anything new. There won’t be a russian Triumph of the Will because russian Leny Riefenstahl is too edgy, too different, too wrong to fit the strict borders of what’s allowed. And you can see even russian fascists like Tesak (Chopping axe) got killed for they don’t toe the line well enough. This fascist state is too afraid of their own creations.
Dead Navalny and opposition on social media are rather useless. They aren’t interesting to anyone, not to the regular russians at all, and even harmful for they focus people’s irritation on their non-existant causes. These rich libs just can’t cut it.
There should be some person or multiple persons to first teach these people to be proud of themselves, to learn that they matter, that they aren’t garbage. To get some self-esteem and disdain to how abused they are. Only then they’d start to form civil and class consciousness. Them laughing at ukrainians at Maidan is them just not getting they themselves do deserve better and can demand that.
Can’t say much on national\race question because (1) I’m too white to feel and understand oppression myself and (2) if a region would like to break out, they’d know better what they want. But (3) I feel, like some of them just can’t do so as long as set leader is supported by Kremlin. It’s a question to solve.
Agent_Karyo@lemmy.world
on 17 Nov 2024 19:41
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It would take a strong defeat (e.g. loss of occupied territories not only in Ukraine, but also Georgia, Moldova and loss of Belarus). They are unfortunately really petty and it would piss them off to no end if our countries became successful and independent.
Perhaps I am too biased against russians, but some sort of global ostracization would be helpful. Not allowing russian citizens into EU, US, Australia.
And most importantly a prolonged period of economic decline.
Yeah, Navalniy and his crew have zero influence inside the country and they are not really looking to do anything beyond YT videos. They don’t really want to fight. They are malicious grifters that at best run an online discussion community for somewhat liberal leaning russians.
Their pride stems from imperialism and “being feared”. They are no where near recognizing that they have the capability to build a better world for themselves. Not to mention they just can’t stop themselves from digging a deeper hole, that exponentially increases the cost of action.
andrew_bidlaw@sh.itjust.works
on 18 Nov 2024 17:06
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Most russian people haven’t left their region at all, except on annual holiday trips. With current prices and the withering weight of rouble, it’s unlikely someone who doesn’t do higher mid tier wages can travel outside of Russia. I’d probably advocate instead on closing programs allowing to gain citizenship by investments and creating a business. That’s how rich russians who have a significant econonical impact get their foreign passports.
I’m not sure how territorial\political losses or economical decline would make russians frustrated rn. With a total grasp on local media, Tzar can easily put a blame on other states and for his followers it works. They do sell the myth of capturing others is the way to go, and that it needs some sacrifices.
I think you’ve been caught in a trap of thinking russian commoners are somehow different to others. Vatniks aren’t an unique occasion, and it seems a lot of countries are vulnerable to have them, especially if authporitarian states put effort to nurture a culture of useful idiots somewhere else like Russia does in bordering states.
Maybe my bias is directly opposite to yours.
Agent_Karyo@lemmy.world
on 19 Nov 2024 08:07
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I’m not sure how territorial\political losses or economical decline would make russians frustrated rn. With a total grasp on local media, Tzar can easily put a blame on other states and for his followers it works. They do sell the myth of capturing others is the way to go, and that it needs some sacrifices.
I am not saying it’s a magical solution. But their only hope for a better life (democracy, government respecting their rights and not being able to just randomly kill people, addressing corruption) is them understanding that their dreams of empire are over and that they will be treated as they treat others (no visiting Europe). They can keep playing the victim, it’s all up to them.
I think you’ve been caught in a trap of thinking russian commoners are somehow different to others. Vatniks aren’t an unique occasion, and it seems a lot of countries are vulnerable to have them, especially if authporitarian states put effort to nurture a culture of useful idiots somewhere else like Russia does in bordering states.
That’s where I will strongly disagree with you. I will even go as far as saying this sort of attitude (and variants) of it is a key enabler of russian degeneracy.
I’ve lived in several countries in North American, Europe and Asia (several years each) and you’re right there are “vatniks” everywhere. However, what is unique about russian chauvinism is 1. It’s brutality and self-important backwardness. 2. The level to which it is universal across any and all demographic group; chauvinism and genocidal imperialism is the defining aspect of russian culture. That is not true for all countries.
Russians are still stuck in an 18th century colonial mindset. They reflexively gravitate towards taking land and forcing occupied people to become russian. While the rest of the world has largely moved on more efficient forms of geolpolitcal influence. And this is true for North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia and Africa.
Support for genocidal imperialism has a strong majority across all demographic. You can slice the population by age, education, rural vs urban, income, federal district and still get a strong majority support for genocidal imperialism. Different quantitative methodologies, qualitative research, longitudinal studies; it all leads to dark, black hole of cruel and crude imperialistic mindset that dominates all priorities (even the well being of their own children).
This is not the case for all countries. There is been a lot of news about Hindu-nationalism in India. But even in India (a country much poorer and less education than russia), there is a modicum of internal cultural dynamism. You have the muslim minority. People in the south have their own language and culture. The Bengalis in the west have linguistic and kinship ties with their muslim cousins in Bangladesh.
Or consider the US, you have a lot of “vatniks” there too (I always found it entertaining how such a large portion of American are “experts” on constitutional law), but you still have some sort of internal sociopolitical dynamism. I believe US leadership has apologized for genocide against the native American population? Have you ever heard of any apology russians about the countless genocides they implemented over just the last 100 years?
And the West continues to ignore the russians’ deep rooted and near universal commitment to genocidal imperialism. The West continue to coddle the russians with their child-like fairy tales of the population not supporting putin and genocidal imperialism.
They need to understand that won’t be able to play dumb. They can play the victims and say that “you’re playing into putins hands” or “you’re discriminating against russians”; or they can start thinking on what they need to do change things. It’s their choice.
andrew_bidlaw@sh.itjust.works
on 19 Nov 2024 17:02
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We may disagree with each other but I like to read your thoughts. I’m just pondering the idea of if Russia just have their government magically replaced with someone else’s, would the culture you say persist for more than a decade. I’m sceptical it would. It kinda erases the responsibility and agency of russian people themselves, making them look like empty vessels to what their powerholders put in them, but with how some thoughts about current war overtook them overnight, made them replicate these, makes me think they just don’t have a nurtured own position on most things because they are degraded to lower levels of Maslou pyramid and thus don’t hold their own beliefs but constantly cowardly adapt to whatever is in the news.
Agent_Karyo@lemmy.world
on 19 Nov 2024 18:23
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Thank you for the good convo as well!
I’m just pondering the idea of if Russia just have their government magically replaced with someone else’s, would the culture you say persist for more than a decade.
I maybe wouldn’t phrase in that way, but I do agree that russians are capable of change. There is nothing inherent or unchangeable about their chauvinism.
I think their current situation (authoritarianism, broad support for genocidal imperialism) is a product of their own choices, not some sort of essential chauvinistic quality of russians.
But to get to a state where they can replace their government, they need to be frank about the root causes of their predicament.
They have to clearly and openly condemn imperialism (including their actions in Chechnya).
They have to recognize that the root cause of putin’s rule is not some external scapegoat. It is the russian people. They elected him in 2000 (widely considered a more or less free election). They elected him again 2004 even after he shut down all independent TV stations. They went with comical medvedev seat warming exercise in 2008, there was no pushback against their invasion of Georgia. They again allowed to him to come to power in 2012 and there was no pushback to the invasion of Ukraine and annexation of Crimea.
You can’t both claim that the elections are illegitimate, while also partaking in them and calling to vote for openly chauvinist parties that are well know to be directly managed by the Kremlin as fake opposition.
But instead we get some fake platitude about how putin does not reflect the russian people and “What is the EU’s strategy on russia?”
I don’t see any real desire to take actions that would allow russians to nurture their own position on things. It doesn’t have to be that way, but it is.
andrew_bidlaw@sh.itjust.works
on 19 Nov 2024 19:03
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The truth I don’t want to believe in, lol. But seeing the latest elections and talking to people gives your points, not mine, a ton of weight. And I probably insist on a possible awakening\redemption arc because I don’t know what to do with that on the day-to-day basis if that’s not possible, if people selling me groceries are irredeameable bastards who cheer to the pain induced onto others, but that’s on me trying to stay sane.
Either way, back to the OP: death to the russian empire, glory to Ukraine and fuck me for I’d probably only play that UE5 game on Youtube if I sell some organs (:
Hobbes_Dent@lemmy.world
on 17 Nov 2024 15:51
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Right there with ya.
some_boring_username@lemm.ee
on 17 Nov 2024 09:57
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“This year, Russia also took control of Chornobyl,…”
This year again? I thought they dug their trenches in radioactive soil in the first year of the invasion.
ALERT@sh.itjust.works
on 17 Nov 2024 10:34
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please buy the full game without waiting for a discount. thank you from a humble game developer from Kyiv, Ukraine.
truxnell@infosec.pub
on 17 Nov 2024 10:44
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I will do a day one purchase despite being too busy with factorio expansion to actually start it just yet.
ALERT@sh.itjust.works
on 17 Nov 2024 11:12
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Thank you <3
Coelacanth@feddit.nu
on 17 Nov 2024 11:09
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Already pre-ordered the Ultimate edition. Goes against my usual principles but I don’t care in this instance. I hope the game is a massive, GotY contending success.
ALERT@sh.itjust.works
on 17 Nov 2024 11:12
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Thank you <3
Coelacanth@feddit.nu
on 17 Nov 2024 11:59
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Are you working on the STALKER 2 team?
ALERT@sh.itjust.works
on 17 Nov 2024 12:08
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No, I work at Wargaming Ukraine. But at least a dozen of my friends and ex-colleagues are working at GSC and the whole Ukrainian game development community respects what GSC does!
Coelacanth@feddit.nu
on 17 Nov 2024 12:35
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It’s inspirational what they’ve done. I really hope the launch goes well.
some_boring_username@lemm.ee
on 17 Nov 2024 13:58
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I did the same, and also normally never preorder digital goods. Preordered the ultimate edition in December 2022, and really did not care whether they could deliver at all.
Now, as a fan of the old games, I am pretty stoked that it looks like I really will be getting an awesome game.
JigglySackles@lemmy.world
on 17 Nov 2024 14:58
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Where’d you preorder? I kept waiting for it to be available.
QuadratureSurfer@lemmy.world
on 17 Nov 2024 15:09
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The physical copy comes with some goodies, or else you can pre-order through GoG, Steam, Epic Games, MS Store, or Xbox.
JigglySackles@lemmy.world
on 17 Nov 2024 15:16
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Well, That’s where I’ve been checking. So at least I’m not messing that up.I just keep getting a pic of a suprised dude holding a bitten piece of fried chicken leg. I just popped into the discord and they’re only mentioning the digital versions so far so maybe physical isn’t opened yet?
Nvm, missed the window. Looks like there are still places to get it though.
VonReposti@feddit.dk
on 17 Nov 2024 11:59
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I’m considering it. I’d probably want to know if it works well with Linux first.
Sylvartas@lemmy.world
on 17 Nov 2024 13:51
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Will do. I’m basically one decent trailer away from impulse buying it anyway. As a fellow game developer, allow me to say: I truly wish things will get better for you guys.
ALERT@sh.itjust.works
on 17 Nov 2024 14:37
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<3
JigglySackles@lemmy.world
on 17 Nov 2024 14:54
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I keep waiting for the ultimate edition to become available for purchase. Wouldn’t miss out on Stalker for anything. Russia can go fuck itself. I am sorry trump won here in the us and we may not be helping as a country anymore. I contributed in a few ways over the years but I wish I could do more than I have. Slava Ukraine 🇺🇦
poleslav@lemmy.world
on 17 Nov 2024 16:09
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After KSP2 I promised myself I would never do Early Access or preorder again. However, I made an exception for this. Love the stalker series and I’ve both preordered it and took the entire week off of work. You can say I’m definitely hyped lol
46_and_2@lemmy.world
on 17 Nov 2024 17:42
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I generally don’t pre-order, probably won’t this time too as release has creeped so close anyway. But definitely buying it full price, just waiting for some day-1 reviews to check if it needs patches or not. I love the STALKER series, played them all and I definitely feel I own GSC some more money for the FPSs I’ve most enjoyed in the last 20 years or so.
Sunny@slrpnk.net
on 17 Nov 2024 10:52
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This must be quite a big decision really, considering there are a lot of Russian players into the Stalker Universe.
And yet, I see just as many people openly flaunt russian language, flag and other symbols of that “country” online. What I’m saying is if you happen to live in russia but don’t support the russian state, better not reveal where you’re from at all
OrionTheElder@lemmy.world
on 17 Nov 2024 11:09
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I’m going to have to buy a new irony meter.
dinckelman@lemmy.world
on 17 Nov 2024 11:53
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andrew_bidlaw@sh.itjust.works
on 17 Nov 2024 13:15
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This article misses the point. The logic behind the likely regulation is that: a couple of GSC devs joined UAF (one KIA) and GSC donated to ukrainian funds -> you spend money on their products -> you have financially supported UAF. GSC wasn’t proclaimed a terrorist org (lmao) but laws here can be applied backwards if they’d need so.
Agent_Karyo@lemmy.world
on 17 Nov 2024 14:11
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You’re overthinking it. There is no logic in russian law. The Tsar says something and that’s the law.
andrew_bidlaw@sh.itjust.works
on 17 Nov 2024 14:24
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Tzar doesn’t need anything to land one’s ass in jail, but it’d still be followed by traditional beaurocratic procedures just like in RE\USSR and that’s the likely way it’d follow through.
And, also, having Stalker on your acc or purchasing it via russian resellers may serve as a trigger that can make agencies or just your russian teammate tell on you for lulz if your profile wasn’t set to private.
Thcdenton@lemmy.world
on 17 Nov 2024 13:44
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Blyat
tekato@lemmy.world
on 18 Nov 2024 05:36
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A Russian official has said that the game could face a total ban in Russia
The whole article is based off this unnamed “Russian official” btw.
Sabata11792@ani.social
on 18 Nov 2024 17:57
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I’m planning on waiting a few days to check the reviews and make sure it can run on my PC, but it’s pretty promising to see such a glowing review coming in early from the Kremlin.
threaded - newest
That’s rich.
It will most definitely be banned (they even shut down one of the few Ukrainian language libraries in russia before the full scale invasion) and likely it won’t be available in russian anyway.
Good. Hopefully russia also bans all the games portraying LGBT characters and ethnic minorities, so I can fucking play Overwatch without running into these assholes every other match
I am surprised it’s not already banned. They were going to ban Duolingo because of presence of animated LGBT characters. Duolingo caved and made a custom “LGBT free” version for the russian market.
oof. If Blizzard does that, they’d have to cut like at least 1/3 of the characters lmao
The question is whether they have the intention of publishing it in Russia in the first place.
Russian users can still use workarounds to purchase from the steam store. I believe this is a big business for some enterprising users in other countries.
Where there is prohibition there is business. Always has been.
Russian pigs
It’s maybe my fault.
I immediately abandoned BF2042 after the second invasion of Ukraine because it was full of Russians and ‘expat’ or not I ain’t cosplaying as those assholes.
I can’t even watch russian movies or listen to russian music (even artists that have openly opposed the full scale invasion). It just gets me in a bad mood.
Any time I see a russian flag on the internet, it’s like seeing a nazi flag. I start thinking “Why the fuck is this here?”.
That bad blood would take ages to clean.
It’s not going to clear, because the russians won’t change.
Not because there is something inherently malicious about them/their culture. That’s bullshit.
It’s the choices they make. And they will continue to make the choice to support genocidal imperialism because they have zero incentive to change.
Western coddling about “they are just afraid, what can they do?” is a massive disservice to the russians (not to mention the countries on the recieving end of their genocidal imperialism).
May I ask you to elaborate on your last paragraph. About the disservice. What do you mean?
ed: deleted a pointless preambula
Engaging with russian victim-hood polemics is not going to help bring about any positive change in russian society.
Pretending that russian society does not consist of a strong majority of genocidal imperialists. Coming up with fantasies about how “everyone is just afraid” so they are just pretending to support imperialism. Turns out you can estimate preference falsification and it is relatively minor at ~10% with the impact being a change in support from ~75% to 65% (still a strong majority) for the full scale invasion of Ukraine.
Not putting Navalniy on the pedestal. He was a committed racist and imperialist. He was also a fool who decided to go back to russia, got himself put in jail and got himself killed. If the russians can’t find a better leader, then that’s on them.
Inviting Navalniy’s wife to high end forums where she comes up with stuff like:
What is your (the russian opposition’s) strategy for russia? Everything you’ve done so far has been a massive failure. Your organization is in exile and your husband foolishly decided to go back to russian prison where he was killed. What are russians going to do next?
You killed 5% of the civilian population in Chechnya, including in brutal targeted attacks and you speak about artificially divided? If 7 million russian civilians (roughly 5% of the population) were killed, would you be taking such a cavalier attitude?
If the russians do want to change their society for the better, they need to first confront the issues above. They will never achieve anything if they keep playing dumb. There is no reason to choose a “putin lite” over the real deal.
Hugh, that’s more based than I thought it would be. I’d reply again when I have a break.
“Shared background and culture” more like forcefully homogenised by russian empire and then ussr. Jesus Christ there is no end to the gaslighting
Your reply is irrelevant to that exact conversation.
They won’t, unless something slaps them hard enough, maybe? But what would sober them up? Being denied the capture of Kiev - didn’t. Denied on Kharkiv -didn’t. Prigo’s march - didn’t. Prigo’s murder - didn’t. Whole forests burning and towns getting flooded - these didn’t do much. And losing parts of Kursk region didn’t do that as well. Where’s the limit to them? What would exceed their tolerance to humiliation? Idk. They are still happy to suck someone’s ass and direct their anger as the party says.
Russia currently has no culture, as many talents from Ukraine and other states left, as many conscious russian artists left too, TV programs are all about referencing and reproducing songs, movies, ideas of the past. There’s literally a genre of shows based in nostalgic reproduction and it is the only thing other than propaganda that exists and thrives. The whole country is a human centipede that sucks it’s own shit. And it’s impotent to produce anything new. There won’t be a russian Triumph of the Will because russian Leny Riefenstahl is too edgy, too different, too wrong to fit the strict borders of what’s allowed. And you can see even russian fascists like Tesak (Chopping axe) got killed for they don’t toe the line well enough. This fascist state is too afraid of their own creations.
Dead Navalny and opposition on social media are rather useless. They aren’t interesting to anyone, not to the regular russians at all, and even harmful for they focus people’s irritation on their non-existant causes. These rich libs just can’t cut it.
There should be some person or multiple persons to first teach these people to be proud of themselves, to learn that they matter, that they aren’t garbage. To get some self-esteem and disdain to how abused they are. Only then they’d start to form civil and class consciousness. Them laughing at ukrainians at Maidan is them just not getting they themselves do deserve better and can demand that.
Can’t say much on national\race question because (1) I’m too white to feel and understand oppression myself and (2) if a region would like to break out, they’d know better what they want. But (3) I feel, like some of them just can’t do so as long as set leader is supported by Kremlin. It’s a question to solve.
It would take a strong defeat (e.g. loss of occupied territories not only in Ukraine, but also Georgia, Moldova and loss of Belarus). They are unfortunately really petty and it would piss them off to no end if our countries became successful and independent.
Perhaps I am too biased against russians, but some sort of global ostracization would be helpful. Not allowing russian citizens into EU, US, Australia.
And most importantly a prolonged period of economic decline.
Yeah, Navalniy and his crew have zero influence inside the country and they are not really looking to do anything beyond YT videos. They don’t really want to fight. They are malicious grifters that at best run an online discussion community for somewhat liberal leaning russians.
Their pride stems from imperialism and “being feared”. They are no where near recognizing that they have the capability to build a better world for themselves. Not to mention they just can’t stop themselves from digging a deeper hole, that exponentially increases the cost of action.
Most russian people haven’t left their region at all, except on annual holiday trips. With current prices and the withering weight of rouble, it’s unlikely someone who doesn’t do higher mid tier wages can travel outside of Russia. I’d probably advocate instead on closing programs allowing to gain citizenship by investments and creating a business. That’s how rich russians who have a significant econonical impact get their foreign passports.
I’m not sure how territorial\political losses or economical decline would make russians frustrated rn. With a total grasp on local media, Tzar can easily put a blame on other states and for his followers it works. They do sell the myth of capturing others is the way to go, and that it needs some sacrifices.
I think you’ve been caught in a trap of thinking russian commoners are somehow different to others. Vatniks aren’t an unique occasion, and it seems a lot of countries are vulnerable to have them, especially if authporitarian states put effort to nurture a culture of useful idiots somewhere else like Russia does in bordering states.
Maybe my bias is directly opposite to yours.
I am not saying it’s a magical solution. But their only hope for a better life (democracy, government respecting their rights and not being able to just randomly kill people, addressing corruption) is them understanding that their dreams of empire are over and that they will be treated as they treat others (no visiting Europe). They can keep playing the victim, it’s all up to them.
That’s where I will strongly disagree with you. I will even go as far as saying this sort of attitude (and variants) of it is a key enabler of russian degeneracy.
I’ve lived in several countries in North American, Europe and Asia (several years each) and you’re right there are “vatniks” everywhere. However, what is unique about russian chauvinism is 1. It’s brutality and self-important backwardness. 2. The level to which it is universal across any and all demographic group; chauvinism and genocidal imperialism is the defining aspect of russian culture. That is not true for all countries.
Russians are still stuck in an 18th century colonial mindset. They reflexively gravitate towards taking land and forcing occupied people to become russian. While the rest of the world has largely moved on more efficient forms of geolpolitcal influence. And this is true for North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia and Africa.
Support for genocidal imperialism has a strong majority across all demographic. You can slice the population by age, education, rural vs urban, income, federal district and still get a strong majority support for genocidal imperialism. Different quantitative methodologies, qualitative research, longitudinal studies; it all leads to dark, black hole of cruel and crude imperialistic mindset that dominates all priorities (even the well being of their own children).
This is not the case for all countries. There is been a lot of news about Hindu-nationalism in India. But even in India (a country much poorer and less education than russia), there is a modicum of internal cultural dynamism. You have the muslim minority. People in the south have their own language and culture. The Bengalis in the west have linguistic and kinship ties with their muslim cousins in Bangladesh.
Or consider the US, you have a lot of “vatniks” there too (I always found it entertaining how such a large portion of American are “experts” on constitutional law), but you still have some sort of internal sociopolitical dynamism. I believe US leadership has apologized for genocide against the native American population? Have you ever heard of any apology russians about the countless genocides they implemented over just the last 100 years?
And the West continues to ignore the russians’ deep rooted and near universal commitment to genocidal imperialism. The West continue to coddle the russians with their child-like fairy tales of the population not supporting putin and genocidal imperialism.
They need to understand that won’t be able to play dumb. They can play the victims and say that “you’re playing into putins hands” or “you’re discriminating against russians”; or they can start thinking on what they need to do change things. It’s their choice.
We may disagree with each other but I like to read your thoughts. I’m just pondering the idea of if Russia just have their government magically replaced with someone else’s, would the culture you say persist for more than a decade. I’m sceptical it would. It kinda erases the responsibility and agency of russian people themselves, making them look like empty vessels to what their powerholders put in them, but with how some thoughts about current war overtook them overnight, made them replicate these, makes me think they just don’t have a nurtured own position on most things because they are degraded to lower levels of Maslou pyramid and thus don’t hold their own beliefs but constantly cowardly adapt to whatever is in the news.
Thank you for the good convo as well!
I maybe wouldn’t phrase in that way, but I do agree that russians are capable of change. There is nothing inherent or unchangeable about their chauvinism.
I think their current situation (authoritarianism, broad support for genocidal imperialism) is a product of their own choices, not some sort of essential chauvinistic quality of russians.
But to get to a state where they can replace their government, they need to be frank about the root causes of their predicament.
They have to clearly and openly condemn imperialism (including their actions in Chechnya).
They have to recognize that the root cause of putin’s rule is not some external scapegoat. It is the russian people. They elected him in 2000 (widely considered a more or less free election). They elected him again 2004 even after he shut down all independent TV stations. They went with comical medvedev seat warming exercise in 2008, there was no pushback against their invasion of Georgia. They again allowed to him to come to power in 2012 and there was no pushback to the invasion of Ukraine and annexation of Crimea.
You can’t both claim that the elections are illegitimate, while also partaking in them and calling to vote for openly chauvinist parties that are well know to be directly managed by the Kremlin as fake opposition.
But instead we get some fake platitude about how putin does not reflect the russian people and “What is the EU’s strategy on russia?”
I don’t see any real desire to take actions that would allow russians to nurture their own position on things. It doesn’t have to be that way, but it is.
The truth I don’t want to believe in, lol. But seeing the latest elections and talking to people gives your points, not mine, a ton of weight. And I probably insist on a possible awakening\redemption arc because I don’t know what to do with that on the day-to-day basis if that’s not possible, if people selling me groceries are irredeameable bastards who cheer to the pain induced onto others, but that’s on me trying to stay sane.
Either way, back to the OP: death to the russian empire, glory to Ukraine and fuck me for I’d probably only play that UE5 game on Youtube if I sell some organs (:
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Right there with ya.
“This year, Russia also took control of Chornobyl,…”
This year again? I thought they dug their trenches in radioactive soil in the first year of the invasion.
please buy the full game without waiting for a discount. thank you from a humble game developer from Kyiv, Ukraine.
I will do a day one purchase despite being too busy with factorio expansion to actually start it just yet.
Thank you <3
Already pre-ordered the Ultimate edition. Goes against my usual principles but I don’t care in this instance. I hope the game is a massive, GotY contending success.
Thank you <3
Are you working on the STALKER 2 team?
No, I work at Wargaming Ukraine. But at least a dozen of my friends and ex-colleagues are working at GSC and the whole Ukrainian game development community respects what GSC does!
It’s inspirational what they’ve done. I really hope the launch goes well.
I did the same, and also normally never preorder digital goods. Preordered the ultimate edition in December 2022, and really did not care whether they could deliver at all.
Now, as a fan of the old games, I am pretty stoked that it looks like I really will be getting an awesome game.
Where’d you preorder? I kept waiting for it to be available.
www.stalker2.com/preorder
The physical copy comes with some goodies, or else you can pre-order through GoG, Steam, Epic Games, MS Store, or Xbox.
Well, That’s where I’ve been checking. So at least I’m not messing that up.I just keep getting a pic of a suprised dude holding a bitten piece of fried chicken leg. I just popped into the discord and they’re only mentioning the digital versions so far so maybe physical isn’t opened yet?
Nvm, missed the window. Looks like there are still places to get it though.
I’m considering it. I’d probably want to know if it works well with Linux first.
Will do. I’m basically one decent trailer away from impulse buying it anyway. As a fellow game developer, allow me to say: I truly wish things will get better for you guys.
<3
I keep waiting for the ultimate edition to become available for purchase. Wouldn’t miss out on Stalker for anything. Russia can go fuck itself. I am sorry trump won here in the us and we may not be helping as a country anymore. I contributed in a few ways over the years but I wish I could do more than I have. Slava Ukraine 🇺🇦
After KSP2 I promised myself I would never do Early Access or preorder again. However, I made an exception for this. Love the stalker series and I’ve both preordered it and took the entire week off of work. You can say I’m definitely hyped lol
I generally don’t pre-order, probably won’t this time too as release has creeped so close anyway. But definitely buying it full price, just waiting for some day-1 reviews to check if it needs patches or not. I love the STALKER series, played them all and I definitely feel I own GSC some more money for the FPSs I’ve most enjoyed in the last 20 years or so.
This must be quite a big decision really, considering there are a lot of Russian players into the Stalker Universe.
But good on them, fuck em!
Maybe they should consider not supporting ongoing invasion of the country that universe originated from, if they are so into it
I believe many quite a few people are against it, but afraid of speaking up - knowing they’ll be dragged into a back alley of they do.
And yet, I see just as many people openly flaunt russian language, flag and other symbols of that “country” online. What I’m saying is if you happen to live in russia but don’t support the russian state, better not reveal where you’re from at all
I’m going to have to buy a new irony meter.
The absence of self-awareness there is astounding
Oh they’re aware. It’s always projection
This article misses the point. The logic behind the likely regulation is that: a couple of GSC devs joined UAF (one KIA) and GSC donated to ukrainian funds -> you spend money on their products -> you have financially supported UAF. GSC wasn’t proclaimed a terrorist org (lmao) but laws here can be applied backwards if they’d need so.
You’re overthinking it. There is no logic in russian law. The Tsar says something and that’s the law.
Tzar doesn’t need anything to land one’s ass in jail, but it’d still be followed by traditional beaurocratic procedures just like in RE\USSR and that’s the likely way it’d follow through.
And, also, having Stalker on your acc or purchasing it via russian resellers may serve as a trigger that can make agencies or just your russian teammate tell on you for lulz if your profile wasn’t set to private.
Blyat
The whole article is based off this unnamed “Russian official” btw.
I’m planning on waiting a few days to check the reviews and make sure it can run on my PC, but it’s pretty promising to see such a glowing review coming in early from the Kremlin.