There has been:
Have people actually checked the versions there before making the suggestion?
F-Droid: Version 3.5.4 (13050408) suggested Added on Feb 23, 2023
Google Play: Updated on Aug 27, 2023
https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.videolan.vlc/
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.videolan.vlc
The problem seems to be squarely with VLC themselves.
From my own statistics how many I feel worthy posting/linking on Lemmy, the most direct alternative to Kotaku is Eurogamer. PCGamer, PCGamesN and Rock Paper Shotgun are occasionally OK, but you have to cut through a lot of spam and clickbait (i.e. exactly this “50 guides per week” type of corporate guidance). Not sure if this is also the state that Kotaku will end up in. The Verge sometimes also have good articles, but the flood of gadget consumerism articles there is obnoxious.
There is pre-existing context and criticism. And it is not about, or just being the perception of “this journalist”:
https://www.theverge.com/23992402/geoff-keighley-the-game-awards-layoffs
https://videogames.si.com/features/games-industry-deserves-better-than-geoff-keighley
https://www.inverse.com/gaming/the-game-awards-2023-needs-to-acknowledge-industrys-lay-offs-problem
https://dotesports.com/the-game-awards/news/the-game-awards-layoffs-developers-no-respect
The problems also goes beyond just the layoffs, but his overt coziness and preferential treatment of large studios, over even the ones that actually won the award he is presiding over, and are supposed to be celebrated:
https://insider-gaming.com/geoff-keighley-shows-cowardice-at-the-game-awards/
https://www.eurogamer.net/the-game-awards-speeches-were-too-short-geoff-keighley-admits
Three side remarks about China, which can be a peculiar example to compare to for Russia, maybe even any other country: