I'd have interpreted Valve's move as saying "unlike product management at Apple, we understand the context of gaming enough to know that in war games, it's typical to use flags to represent opposing sides, and that there is no reason to believe that people are making or buying such games to make a racist statement" Apple's PR moving in banning the games was to make the statement "we are a sensitive company" but their unintended subtext of their actions was to highlight that that don't know or care to take into consideration the context of developers of gaming apps, and are happy to hurt them to make this statement, while not being willing to do the same to truly important partners, like the makers of the television show Dukes of Hazard, or any of the other TV shows, or movies, or books where that flag is displayed.

No one who actually cared about not glorifying the Confederacy would continue to sell Gone with the Wind, as Apple is doing.

Not at all. Steam is showing off the fact that it isn't led by vapid idiots.

It's important for gestures like this to happen to fight against the growing threat of 'social justice' fueled censorship. There's a big difference between not selling to people who want to wave the battle flag to trying to erase every depiction regardless of context. Standing up against such foolishness is important.

What would you call the move by Apple?

But apple is the one who used the situation for PR purposes. Valve would have published the game one way or another, and that linked page is just how newly released games are displayed on the valve store. No special PR here -- someone from the developer probably paid to advertise it there.

> But what is wrong imo is using the situation for PR purpose.

Be clear that you are not implying Valve is doing this without offering any proof.

Also, what is your opinion on Apple using the shooting in Charleston for PR purpose?

This is the point you were trying to make and I completely agree with you.

How are they using the situation for PR purpose? All they did was posting that Steam put their game on the front page, which any sane game developer would do.

I don't see this as Valve using the confederate flag for PR purposes. Valve is saying "hey look, we're not swept up in this flavor of the week hysteria over the confederate flag, especially in the context of a historical game." I'm really glad they did this. Art is under assault by well meaning idiots who want to remove anything that challenges them or their preconceived notions. I'm glad Valve is backing up the developers who fill Steam with content, not leaving them hanging out to dry. If I ever want to publish art that is even a little bit controversial, I (and anyone else who's following this) know where to go.