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Mastercard denies pressuring game platforms, Valve tells a different story | TechCrunch

Mastercard denies pressuring game platforms, Valve tells a different story | TechCrunch

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The outcry after a recent marketplace crackdown on games with adult content, seemingly due to pressure from payment processors, prompted Mastercard to release a brief statement Friday pushing back against recent headlines.

“Mastercard has not evaluated any game or required restrictions of any activity on game creator sites and platforms, contrary to media reports and allegations,” the company said, adding, “At the same time, we require merchants to have appropriate controls to ensure Mastercard cards cannot be used for unlawful purchases, including illegal adult content.”

This follows an open letter by the advocacy group Collective Shout addressed to executives at Paypal, Mastercard, Visa, and other companies, criticizing them for allowing the sale of “No Mercy” and other games that depict rape, incest, and child sexual abuse.

In the following weeks, Steam announced that it would ban games that violate the rules of its “payment processors and related card networks and banks.” Then Itch.io said it was removing games with adult content from its browse and search pages while conducting a broader audit.

While Mastercard’s statement seems to undermine the narrative that payment and card companies were the ones pressuring the game marketplaces, Steam owner Valve responded with a statement of its own, provided to PC Gamer and other gaming sites.

According to Valve, “Mastercard did not communicate with Valve directly, despite our request to do so. Mastercard communicated with payment processors and their acquiring banks. Payment processors communicated this with Valve, and we replied by outlining Steam’s policy since 2018 of attempting to distribute games that are legal for distribution.”

Valve said its response was “rejected” by the payment processors, who noted the “risk to the Mastercard brand” and pointed to a Mastercard rule against “illegal or brand-damaging transactions.”

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Meanwhile, Itch.io said that it’s now re-indexing free games with adult content while negotiating with payment processors including Stripe, which for its part said it’s “unable to support sexually explicit content” due to “banking partners.”

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Amazon‘s 12th annual Prime Day sale will run from June 23 to 26 this year, the company said Tuesday. For the second year in a row, the flagship summer savings event will last four days, up from its original two.

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At the time, an Amazon spokesperson told Mashable that it was moving Prime Day to June on shoppers’ behalf. (They didn’t elaborate on specifics.)

“Each year, we work with our teams around the world to determine the best timing for Prime Day,” they said. “This year, we felt holding the event earlier in the summer was the right choice for our customers.”

Competing retailers like Best Buy, Target, and Walmart always ran their own sales alongside Prime Day back when it was held in July. That will probably still be the case this year, though none of them have announced anything yet.

#Prime #Day #Amazon #announces #dates #sale">When is Prime Day? Amazon announces dates of 2026 sale. Amazon‘s 12th annual Prime Day sale will run from June 23 to 26 this year, the company said Tuesday. For the second year in a row, the flagship summer savings event will last four days, up from its original two.This will be the first year that Prime Day falls in June instead of its usual mid-July time slot. Amazon initially announced the shift in its first-quarter earnings statement posted on April 29 — possibly by mistake. The June move was mentioned in a section of the statement about recent company updates: “Amazon … Shared that Prime Day will take place in most countries in June,” it read. But in fact, the retail giant had not shared the news at that point. Amazon then published a blog post with a formal announcement less than an hour after the statement went out. Mashable Trend Report “Prime Day is back!” the post read. “Amazon’s annual deals event for Prime members returns this June, with discounts on some of the hottest brands, socially trending items, creator favorites, and Amazon-exclusive products to make this June’s event even more valuable for members.”At the time, an Amazon spokesperson told Mashable that it was moving Prime Day to June on shoppers’ behalf. (They didn’t elaborate on specifics.) “Each year, we work with our teams around the world to determine the best timing for Prime Day,” they said. “This year, we felt holding the event earlier in the summer was the right choice for our customers.”Competing retailers like Best Buy, Target, and Walmart always ran their own sales alongside Prime Day back when it was held in July. That will probably still be the case this year, though none of them have announced anything yet. #Prime #Day #Amazon #announces #dates #sale

Amazon‘s 12th annual Prime Day sale will run from June 23 to 26 this year, the company said Tuesday. For the second year in a row, the flagship summer savings event will last four days, up from its original two.

This will be the first year that Prime Day falls in June instead of its usual mid-July time slot. Amazon initially announced the shift in its first-quarter earnings statement posted on April 29 — possibly by mistake.

The June move was mentioned in a section of the statement about recent company updates: “Amazon … Shared that Prime Day will take place in most countries in June,” it read. But in fact, the retail giant had not shared the news at that point. Amazon then published a blog post with a formal announcement less than an hour after the statement went out.

“Prime Day is back!” the post read. “Amazon’s annual deals event for Prime members returns this June, with discounts on some of the hottest brands, socially trending items, creator favorites, and Amazon-exclusive products to make this June’s event even more valuable for members.”

At the time, an Amazon spokesperson told Mashable that it was moving Prime Day to June on shoppers’ behalf. (They didn’t elaborate on specifics.)

“Each year, we work with our teams around the world to determine the best timing for Prime Day,” they said. “This year, we felt holding the event earlier in the summer was the right choice for our customers.”

Competing retailers like Best Buy, Target, and Walmart always ran their own sales alongside Prime Day back when it was held in July. That will probably still be the case this year, though none of them have announced anything yet.

#Prime #Day #Amazon #announces #dates #sale">When is Prime Day? Amazon announces dates of 2026 sale.

Amazon‘s 12th annual Prime Day sale will run from June 23 to 26 this year, the company said Tuesday. For the second year in a row, the flagship summer savings event will last four days, up from its original two.

This will be the first year that Prime Day falls in June instead of its usual mid-July time slot. Amazon initially announced the shift in its first-quarter earnings statement posted on April 29 — possibly by mistake.

The June move was mentioned in a section of the statement about recent company updates: “Amazon … Shared that Prime Day will take place in most countries in June,” it read. But in fact, the retail giant had not shared the news at that point. Amazon then published a blog post with a formal announcement less than an hour after the statement went out.

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At the time, an Amazon spokesperson told Mashable that it was moving Prime Day to June on shoppers’ behalf. (They didn’t elaborate on specifics.)

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Competing retailers like Best Buy, Target, and Walmart always ran their own sales alongside Prime Day back when it was held in July. That will probably still be the case this year, though none of them have announced anything yet.

#Prime #Day #Amazon #announces #dates #sale

“He noted that the reverse of the watch indicates that it is a Google Pixel 5, which has not yet been announced, let alone released,” Pitchford writes. “It seems to be fine. The face indicates an empty battery, but seems to have enough reserve power to display the correct time.” After putting out a call to find its owner, Pitchford said someone contacted him and that he’s “arranged for its return.” Google didn’t immediately respond to The Verge’s request for comment.

Google typically shows off its newest Pixel devices in August. That means we’ll find out if someone really dropped a not-yet-revealed Pixel Watch 5 into the ocean in just a few short months.

#Google #Pixel #Watch #spoiled #creator #BorderlandsEntertainment,Gadgets,Gaming,Google,Google Pixel,News,Smartwatch,Tech,Wearable">The Google Pixel Watch 5 may have been spoiled by… the creator of BorderlandsWe may just have gotten an early look at the Google Pixel Watch 5 — and from an unusual source. Randy Pitchford, the creator of the Borderlands game franchise, posted a pair of images of a watch on X, saying that his friend found it underwater while scuba diving near Saint Martin, as reported earlier by Kotaku.“He noted that the reverse of the watch indicates that it is a Google Pixel 5, which has not yet been announced, let alone released,” Pitchford writes. “It seems to be fine. The face indicates an empty battery, but seems to have enough reserve power to display the correct time.” After putting out a call to find its owner, Pitchford said someone contacted him and that he’s “arranged for its return.” Google didn’t immediately respond to The Verge’s request for comment.Google typically shows off its newest Pixel devices in August. That means we’ll find out if someone really dropped a not-yet-revealed Pixel Watch 5 into the ocean in just a few short months.#Google #Pixel #Watch #spoiled #creator #BorderlandsEntertainment,Gadgets,Gaming,Google,Google Pixel,News,Smartwatch,Tech,Wearable

reported earlier by Kotaku.

“He noted that the reverse of the watch indicates that it is a Google Pixel 5, which has not yet been announced, let alone released,” Pitchford writes. “It seems to be fine. The face indicates an empty battery, but seems to have enough reserve power to display the correct time.” After putting out a call to find its owner, Pitchford said someone contacted him and that he’s “arranged for its return.” Google didn’t immediately respond to The Verge’s request for comment.

Google typically shows off its newest Pixel devices in August. That means we’ll find out if someone really dropped a not-yet-revealed Pixel Watch 5 into the ocean in just a few short months.

#Google #Pixel #Watch #spoiled #creator #BorderlandsEntertainment,Gadgets,Gaming,Google,Google Pixel,News,Smartwatch,Tech,Wearable">The Google Pixel Watch 5 may have been spoiled by… the creator of Borderlands

We may just have gotten an early look at the Google Pixel Watch 5 — and from an unusual source. Randy Pitchford, the creator of the Borderlands game franchise, posted a pair of images of a watch on X, saying that his friend found it underwater while scuba diving near Saint Martin, as reported earlier by Kotaku.

“He noted that the reverse of the watch indicates that it is a Google Pixel 5, which has not yet been announced, let alone released,” Pitchford writes. “It seems to be fine. The face indicates an empty battery, but seems to have enough reserve power to display the correct time.” After putting out a call to find its owner, Pitchford said someone contacted him and that he’s “arranged for its return.” Google didn’t immediately respond to The Verge’s request for comment.

Google typically shows off its newest Pixel devices in August. That means we’ll find out if someone really dropped a not-yet-revealed Pixel Watch 5 into the ocean in just a few short months.

#Google #Pixel #Watch #spoiled #creator #BorderlandsEntertainment,Gadgets,Gaming,Google,Google Pixel,News,Smartwatch,Tech,Wearable

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