Thank you, every ounce of support I get is what keeps me fighting. It’s fine if you disagree, I very well could be overconfident

I’m already fighting an unfair labor practice, I’m not interested in being sued for violating NDA.

I’m speaking with industry knowledge on the state of gaming. It’s coming.

I don’t think you understand the outsized influence a few hundred activists can be. I was 1 of about 30 people who helped organize AQAU, one of the biggest unions in the industry, 600 people encompassing all of publisher-side QA.

Correct, the reason I gave a 5 year window is because the investment into Linux support is tiny right now so they don’t accidentally cut into the quarterlies.

I was illegally fired for organizing unions. The labor activist world is tiny. I’m able to make these statements with the confidence that I do, because I’ve talked to hundreds of people in several game companies.

You’re right on all accounts, I oversimplified for humor. Server-side IS more expensive and does exist in limited ways. Rolling matches on dedi servers are highly profitable, unfortunately the old school days of matchmaking are over for everything except indie companies that want to replicate the nostalgia

I am, remember? I just told you that I was (is, will continue to be) a game developer. I’ve already considered cost of development.

Every person excluded from a purchase is money lost in the eyes of corporations. It’s why boycotts work when they’re properly organized. It’s why microtransactions are usually less than $5. I’ve been in corporate meetings for game companies before, I was recently illegally fired. The addition of Linux support is coming, but the big corporations need motivation to do it quickly.

When it comes to large corporations, they’re very risk adverse but will ruthlessly pursue every stray penny. It always bubbles up from the indie companies, so expect native Linux support for specifically steamOS so they don’t have to contend with the GPL and FOSS advocates by 2030.

Ok so if you agree that their playerbase of millions marks a successful game, then why do you consider the possibility of millions of players insignificant?

Call of Duty is the biggest fps game in the world, every year. Their playerbase is “only” in the millions, so I suppose you agree with the executives that it’s not nearly successful enough?

The steamdeck runs on Arch. Games with windows-only anticheat excludes millions of potential players.

Game publishers: but server-side anticheat is more expensive HARDDDDDD

Basically, it’s all about different ways in which neurodivergent people struggle with stronger and/or less controllable emotions. Justice sensitivity for example can be viewed as an overly extreme reaction and connection to distant injustice.

It might be a reasonable response if it was deeply personal, but that response is extended to all injustice that they learn about. Keep in mind that all of these things exist on a spectrum, so I’m only giving an extreme example to make it understandable.

Normally I’m all about education, but I know a lost cause when I see one. A person like that probably won’t be persuaded by information. By telling them that all words are made up, you’d be applying the snark you consider fine.

No, all of these things are fairly common in neurodivergent people.

The response is also just kind of snarky and annoying.

That’s the point. Pretend that my problems don’t exist? Get your bullshit thrown back at you.

There wasn’t enough notice for you to still figure something out, but they explained enough for why they couldn’t cover. Don’t be too mad at them, they clearly also have a need for that time off. This one is a dish best served cold. I’d respond with something like

Damn, that’s too bad. Thanks for considering it!

When they ask you to cover for their shift next, tell them you’re busy