Visa and Mastercard Are Reportedly Censoring Video Games Alongside Australian Activist Group Collective Shout

Reports suggest that Visa and Mastercard, along with certain activist organizations such as Collective Shout, are taking steps to regulate or restrict access to specific video games.

Or:

It has been reported that both Visa and Mastercard have joined forces with activists like Collective Shout in an effort to filter or limit the availability of certain video games.

In today’s digital era, video games, which have grown into a massive, multi-billion-dollar sector that combines art, amusement, and self-expression, have seen a new battleground emerge in the struggle over content regulation. Companies like Visa and Mastercard, possessing significant financial power, are progressively determining which games can be bought on platforms such as Steam, thereby acting as censors within the gaming industry.

At the center of this debate stands Collective Shout, an Australian feminist advocacy group, who have taken a leading role in pushing these financial titans to uphold moral values globally within the gaming industry. Since July 21, 2025, their efforts have resulted in the deletion of numerous mature-themed games, causing an uproar regarding freedom of expression, perceived cultural domination, and corporate control.

This issue isn’t merely about specialized content; rather, it’s an indication of a more significant pattern where private entities function as unofficial censors, circumventing both governments and courts. Advocates may view this as a triumph for child protection and opposition to exploitation, but critics contend it’s a form of selective moralism that disregards actual harm while focusing on the suppression of fictional works. This could lead to expanded limitations on creative expression in the future.

The Spark: Steam’s Sudden Purge

The uproar about Visa and Mastercard allegedly censoring video games began in mid-July 2025, when Valve, the company responsible for Steam—the world’s most popular PC gaming platform—revised its publisher guidelines to exclude “content that might breach the rules and standards established by our payment processors and/or banking partners.

Within a short timeframe, approximately 500 games, predominantly Japanese visual novels and mature content labeled with sensitive topics, were taken down. Valve verified that credit card providers such as Visa and Mastercard had identified these games as contravening their internal regulations. If the games weren’t removed, they threatened to interfere with payment processing.

It wasn’t a solitary issue; developers across various platforms encountered similar pressures, leading to payment holds and content bans that had widespread effects on independent gaming communities. In Japan, where numerous impacted games are from, officials like Taro Yamada have initiated probes to determine if these actions qualify as unjust trade practices, considering them a threat to cultural exports. Notably, Nier creator Yoko Taro openly criticized the alterations, asserting they underscore how one nation’s standards can suppress another country’s freedom of expression.

Collective Shout: The Activist Catalyst

Step in Collective Shout, an organization that positions itself as grassroots, established in 2009 with a mission to challenge and reduce instances of women’s objectification in media.

As an ardent movie-lover hailing from Australia, I’ve been part of a passionate community that has made its mark by standing up for moral values. We have a notable history of effective protests, such as the one we carried out against Target in 2014, where we convinced them to remove Grand Theft Auto V from their shelves due to content we found objectionable.

In this situation, Collective Shout publicly admitted that they were behind Steam’s removal of certain game tags, stating they had successfully reduced the number of tags from approximately 500 to just 82.

It appears that Collective Shout is associated with the recent cyber-attacks targeting Steam and various games, potentially using payment methods like MasterCard and Visa. Keep this group in mind if similar incidents could affect your games in the future.
Expressing it differently: Given that they are situated in Australia, known for its strict censorship laws, it seems their opinions might not carry much weight in discussions related to MasterCard, Visa, Steam, and video games.
#MasterCard #Visa #Australia #Steam #games #censorship
— Omar Kaj (@Andalusio) July 19, 2025

Instead of working through platforms or developers, Collective Shout chose a different approach by directly targeting payment processors like Visa, Mastercard, and PayPal. By inundating these companies with grievances, requests for action, and allegations that they were supporting “violent” content, the group capitalized on the firms’ policies aimed at protecting their brand image. Leveraging feminist viewpoints that equate such content with actual crimes, Collective Shout portrayed these games not as works of fiction but as tools facilitating criminal activities.

They rejoiced in the enactment of the bans as a “triumph over porn-obsessed, intellect-eroding video game enthusiasts,” but faced pushback with threats and harassment in return.

Or more concisely: The bans were celebrated as a victory against porn-addicted, intellectually degrading gamers, yet they also encountered backlash including threats and harassment.

Payment Processors as Moral Gatekeepers

The significant roles of Visa and Mastercard are crucial due to their nearly exclusive control over worldwide payment processing, handling approximately 90% of all credit card transactions globally.

These policies strictly forbid the promotion of potentially dangerous content, regardless of whether it’s portrayed in a fictional context. This practice, often referred to as “financial deplatforming,” has parallels to previous actions: Mastercard tightened moderation on adult subscription sites in 2021, resulting in removal of certain content from Patreon and Gumroad. Similarly, Visa’s Japanese CEO defended blocking legal content for the sake of brand security in late 2024.

Through the tactic of potentially withdrawing services, these processors exert pressure on platforms such as Steam, compelling them to adhere to certain rules. The potential loss of these services could significantly impact revenue streams. A historical example can be found in Europe‘s antitrust regulations towards Visa and Mastercard, where their power was temporarily restricted, leading to discussions about monopolies. However, in the U.S. and other regions, this power remains largely unchallenged, causing apprehension regarding potential monopolistic practices.

Broader Implications and Historical Patterns

As a film enthusiast, I’ve noticed a surge in censorship that seems to particularly impact Japanese creators, whose storytelling traditions vary significantly from those in the West. This trend mirrors the challenges of globalization, where American corporations often dictate standards for international content, much like how anime and manga were once adapted for Western audiences. The concern is that this won’t be limited to niche games; even mainstream titles such as Grand Theft Auto could potentially face censorship if their themes become a subject of scrutiny.

Historically, the strategies employed by Collective Shout have resembled those seen during moral panics, such as the 1980s video game scares and more recent campaigns against supposedly harmful media. However, the connection between fictional content and actual harm is still a topic of dispute, with numerous studies failing to establish a direct causation.

Public and Industry Backlash

1) The reaction has been prompt and strong. A Change.org petition advocating for Visa, Mastercard, and activist organizations to “cease restricting what we can view, read, or play” has attracted numerous supporters. Influential figures such as MoistCr1TiKaL and Asmongold have boosted the demand for antitrust measures against the payment duopoly. On platform X, users criticize these actions as “Australian-style radicalism” impacting global platforms, with some appealing to Elon Musk for intervention through X’s prospective payment system.

It’s important to note that Steam, Visa, and Mastercard also share responsibility in the censorship issue. They should be subject to critique for enforcing the removal of certain games. However, it’s also crucial to point out that Collective Shout has received valid criticism for attempting to impose Australian laws on a global scale.
— EmperorOfNightmares (@nightmaremperor) July 18, 2025

A virtual YouTuber managed to collect approximately $780 for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) during an anti-censorship fundraising event, demonstrating strong opposition from the community. Gamers are urging boycotts, using prepaid cards or alternative payment methods, and developers are investigating blockchain technology or independent marketplaces as alternatives.

Looking Ahead: A Call for Change

in a world without physical currency, payment processors wield significant cultural power.

In the realm of movies, I find myself drawn to stories that are more than just celluloid and sound; they’re about shaping narratives in our interconnected globe. Just as Yoko Taro cautioned us, unchecked censorship could potentially wipe out unique perspectives, one purchase at a time.

2025-07-21 21:58