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The original was posted on /r/pcmasterrace by /u/Rav3nnd on 2026-02-06 13:50:37+00:00.
Hi everyone,
According to DW Turkish, the Turkish Ministry of Family and Social Services is reportedly preparing amendments to Law No. 5651. If accepted, many gaming platforms, including Steam, Epic Games Store, and PlayStation Store, could be classified as “game distributors” and required to appoint a legal representative in Türkiye.
While this sems procedural, many players and developers are concerned because Law No. 5651 has a clear precedent.
In the past, similar “local representative” requirements were imposed on social media and streaming platforms, followed by:
heavy fines
advertising bans
bandwidth restrictions
access restrictions
This history is why this discussion is being taken seriously.
Why is it controversial?
Global gaming platforms do not operate as country-specific services.
These are global marketplaces:
no local targeting
no country-specific content control
users access voluntarily from anywhere in the world
Having multiple offices worldwide for R&D, server, or publishing is not the same as appointing a legal representative who directly contacts the government for a specific country.
Turkish players have started using the hashtag ‘don’ttouchourgame’ to raise awareness before irreversible steps are taken.
I would especially like to hear thoughts from developers and players in other regions.
Have you seen similar regulatory pressures where you live?
For those who want additional context on how local and global gamers are reacting, here is the two link:
(Context only, not advocacy: DW Turkish reporting on the proposed amendment.)