Because there’s a nonzero chance that someone here will make a similar silly argument.
Valve is a weird company, and gamers can be weird people. DotA had a culture where doxxing icefrog is really looked down upon. Valve games tend to have these sorts of cultures and quirks.
Needless to say, valve created a relatively accessible way to play their game under development. Most companies don't do this. All Valve requested was to not publicize the game. If you are a gaming journalist, and you break this sort of online etiquette, which is very well established thing for Valve, then you get to be called out for being a dick.
> they chose not to in this instance
because as you said it is kinda silly and the game is an open secret. Doing this is not part of their culture, but the openness accessibility of their betas is.
> a popular new game by Valve is properly newsworthy to report upon
sure, verge has good traffic reasons to do this. gamers also have a reason to criticize this because they want to keep the way Valve does things. It is very unique.
> most don't realize that the and "Valve banned me" update is tongue-in-cheek and not the author being genuinely upset
What makes you say this? I think most people are just using this line to mock the author because they are angry nerds lol. Doesn't really matter what the intent of the author was.
So much of online gaming culture would be understood with just this line:
"If you don't wanna get flamed, don't break the ritual"
This article elucidates the point: https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2024/08/13/the-verge-...
>If you are a gaming journalist, and you break this sort of online etiquette, which is very well established thing for Valve, then you get to be called out for being a dick.
Then they wonder why they are mocked as not being real journalists. Can you imagine trying to have a source confide in your but then have that confidentiality removed because "well you didn't say I couldn't show your face. I didn't name you". It's disgusting.
If we are ok with breaking honor rules in otherwise healthy communities because there is no legal risk, then why are we not OK with people voicing that it was a dick move?
Btw, I don't play deadlock. Will probably never play it because I had enough of games like TF2 or overwatch. I just don't get why people are so comfortable with being jerks lol. Especially as the first comment on this post, commenting on the drama and insinuating that gamers are being childish (they are usually) on this matter is kinda silly.