nkrypt1d #BRINGVALKOBACK

My biggest hot take is actually this: after all of this time, regarding Valko cancellation and even this prolonged silence I am no longer mad at PPG. I am disappointed and sad and tired but that’s about it. I actually haven’t been angry for a very long time. I think really putting my emotions aside and thinking about it from the perspective that PaperGames IS a corporation just made my emotions kind of… vanish? I am not saying anyone else should agree with me, nor do I blame anyone for being angry. I suppose this is just how I ended up coping with it. And because I have zero doubts about his comeback, I always tried to look at it from a different perspective. They can’t address us, even with a simple “We hear you”, before they are 1000% ready to relaunch Valko, because it risks another smear campaign, government reports and employees safety issues. And they won’t get another do-over. While Valkos relaunch will likely never be perfect, it has to be safe. For the company, for the game, for Valko and for the employees. And even with his cancellation, I have always felt like they were forced in a corner in which they were not ready to be forced into, and they panic pulled the plug. Now it doesn’t mean they can walk away from this without any consequence - but the revenue, or lack of it IS a consequence. And we do deserve a proper apology and communication. But I also understand why that isn’t happening. We do deserve better. But so did they. Both things can be true, and saying that doesn’t mean they are innocent in all of this, or that they handled, and continue to handle, things perfectly. I hate that acknowledging nuance is becoming labeled as excusing PaperGames. It is not. This situation is not black and white. So I don’t hate this corporation. I am not mad at this company. I am sad we ended up here, disappointed in how things played out and were handled and tired from having to defend them because people refuse to see nuance and humanise the company by making it seem like they are personally hurting the players. It is a business. One that faces unfair competition, smears and attacks constantly. I want them to do better. I want to be able to come back to the game and support it when Valko is back. I wouldn’t be able to feel that way if I hated them or was angry with them. But I am a human. And I have more emotions than anger and hatred and devotion and love. I think it’s important to acknowledge that. But I understand this may be disappointing to some.