Power and water are public utilities (as is internet, in some parts of the world but not all). Payment processing is not. If you want to argue that it should be, we’d likely agree.
Well as long as they are independent businesses, why shouldn’t they?
If your argument seems to be “they are too crucial to be independent businesses,” I don’t think we’d disagree too much, but the fact is that they are right now.
Kind of cuts both ways though, doesn’t it? The reverse of this argument is saying that the payment processors must work with Valve no matter what they host. Agree it disagree with them, but don’t the payment processors get a say in what they do or do not want to process?
Spiritfarer is awesome and I also recommend it, but I think I would concede there’s some “grinding” aspects. You’re going to be going out of your way to collect certain things.
In theory, if he actually finished and released his game relatively soon, he could do whatever he wants still.
One popular misconception about the SKG initiative is that it will require currently existing games to change to become compliant. That’s not actually what they’re asking for. They want new laws to come into place that would affect future games made. The SKG initiative fully accepts that there are some existing that are likely beyond saving.