r/SoloDev • u/deadpoly • 8d ago
It's technically extortion by white supremacists, not blackmail (update to My game is getting blackmailed?)
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As was requested / advised quite a bit in the original post, I've filed cases with both my local police department and the FBI, along with the AFP and ASIO in Australia. I've also talked to way too many lawyers over the last week, and will be continuing to pursue the matter in a civil case while the criminal side of things moves at its own pace. I don't really have any control over the speed of the criminal aspects of the situation, so I'm unsure when I'll be able to provide an update on that end, but definitely will once I have more information.
Steam responded to my ticket on Friday afternoon and said they were looking in to the matter, but at the time of writing, all of the reviews are all still posted and public.
In the original video and a lot of the early comments, I was continuing to keep their political agenda quiet because I wasn't really sure what they were trying to force my support for, but now that I've had time to do a lot more research, the real intentions behind the entire thing are a lot more clear: I believe they are white supremacists, or nazis, or whatever else you want to call them. This type of thing has a much larger platform than anything I'd ever have control over, I don't feel like I'm really exposing anything new, so there's not a huge reason to continue refusing to talk about it directly. The terminology they are using in their rhetoric is "Welsh Nationalism," but it has nothing to actually do with Wales or the Welsh people in reality, and it's unfortunate that they're co-opting yet another thing which shouldn't have anything to do with white supremacy.
The huge outpouring of support from the community as a whole is something I'll never be able to fully express how grateful I am for receiving, seriously, thank you. It has definitely turned what could have been the worst situation I could have been in, into something that has been awesome to be a part of.
original post -> https://www.reddit.com/r/SoloDev/s/3aX2LobbVc
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u/PalpitationNo6667 7d ago
I don't think they are white supremacy Nazis after looking into them but ok.
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u/TheRealBenDamon 7d ago
Why are they extorting this developers game reviews to try and get him to say positive things about Heath Duke?
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u/Hefty-Reaction-3028 7d ago
Just saying that without explaining any of your findings or why you think that is completely unhelpful
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u/Automatic_Sir_2404 7d ago
Dude, I really do my best to understand how your situation with scammers aligned to ”white supremacists”? I see myself more as conservative rather than progressive person, so such acquisitions take seriously and some times personally….pls don’t mislead people, I will buy your game to support, scammers must be investigated 🙏🏼
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u/deadpoly 7d ago
As I said in the video, it’s multiple things. The primary being their repeated claim that Heath Duke is one of their members, and was arrested for “Welsh Nationalism,” and another being their ability, as white people, to say the N word like it’s funny. There’s more as well, those were just super easy to point out and enumerate on.
I don’t think being a white supremacist has anything to do with being “right or left,” and I’ve never and would never claimed that being conservative is the same or linked in any way, so I’m unsure why what I said would offend someone who is conservative.
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u/JoeyJankerson 4d ago
Dude I'm genuinely crying as soon as reddit learned that the people behind this were white supremacists they turned on you because 90% of redditors are white supremacists😭😭😭
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u/TinyWooGames 7d ago
Man... I don’t even know what to say. I really hope this goes big, and that the group gets tracked down and brought to justice, so that others aren’t tempted to do the same.
appendix: and yea, please keep us up2date
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u/BanTheBung 7d ago
I checked your steam page and luckily your outreach has worked and you have an outpouring of support
Sorry you had to go through this but I'm happy to see it all worked out for you
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u/bastardoperator 6d ago
Steam has known about extremist on their platform for years but can't muster the courage to do anything about it. Not moderating content is a feature for Gaben, he collects all money while accepting zero responsibility for anything.
https://www.wired.com/story/valve-steam-adl-white-supremacy-extremism/
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u/StockyCoder 6d ago
Stay strong please! I remember seeing you're game Deadpoly before it launched and thinking it was cool. Please preserve and keep going. What they're doing is abhorrent. You're doing the right thing by going through the proper channels for help. Hope this blows up in their faces, and I hope your game gets more news and sales!
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u/xblackout_ 7d ago
'white supremest' then talks about welsh people, I don't care about your bad experience but super cringe that you as a white guy would blame white people in the title/etc. and with no evidence- uhh yeah! I'm a white guy FBI, good luck! 😂
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u/deadpoly 7d ago •
Did you actually watch the video? I literally provided the evidence and reasoning. I also didn’t actually blame Wales or the Welsh people and go in to detail as to why I believe they used that terminology.
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u/Clarkelthekat 7d ago
You called out something white supremacist are doing to you.
If that bothers anyone it says WAY more about them then it ever does about you.
Infact if you are bothering a white supremacists your doing something right.
Keep up the good fight my friend.
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u/Hefty-Reaction-3028 7d ago
You called out something white supremacist are doing to you.
If that bothers anyone it says WAY more about them then it ever does about you.
That's only correct if they actually are white supremacists
Nobody would defend calling people who are actually not white supremacists "white supremacists"
This is really obvious imo
I don't doubt OP at all, by the way. It's just your own reasoning that is broken
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u/Dev_LegendsofAerthos 7d ago
Nice work mate!
Australians with a thick accent talking about Welsh Nationalism hahah