Key Takeaways
1. Steam has updated its content policies, influenced by payment companies like Visa and Mastercard, to restrict certain adult content.
2. A “mini-purge” has occurred, removing controversial games such as “Incest Tales” and “Wolf on Rail” from the platform.
3. The definition of “adult only content” remains unclear, but more explicit and fetish-related themes are likely banned.
4. While some view the changes positively to tackle problematic titles, others criticize the increased control payment processors have over game accessibility.
5. Community reactions are mixed, with some unhappy about the influence of payment providers on Steam’s decisions, advocating for Valve to maintain authority over content.
Steam has made changes to its content policies and started to remove certain controversial games after receiving pressure from payment companies like Visa and Mastercard.
Updated Guidelines
Recently, Steam modified its onboarding section on the documentation homepage to add a new point in the Rules and Guidelines: “Content that may violate the rules and standards set forth by Steam’s payment processors and related card networks and banks, or internet network providers. In particular, certain kinds of adult only content.”
The Mini-Purge
As noted by TheGamer, this update led to a sort of mini-purge, according to the Steam Database, which saw the removal of various problematic titles like “Incest Tales,” “Wolf on Rail,” “Sex Village,” and “Slave of the Police Officer,” among others, from the store.
While the exact definition of “certain types of adult only content” remains vague, it appears that more explicit and fetish-related themes will no longer be permitted on the platform.
Pros and Cons
On one hand, this action can be seen positively, as Steam has had a long-standing issue with adult shovelware that needed addressing. On the flip side, this change grants payment processors increased control over what is allowed on the platform, effectively deciding which games are accessible to players.
Both Visa and Mastercard are no strangers to this kind of action. They have previously taken steps to limit adult content on sites like Pornhub and OnlyFans.
Collective Shout’s Initiative
Earlier this month, Collective Shout, a grassroots movement opposing the objectification of women in media, sent an open letter to payment processors, including PayPal, Visa, and Mastercard, accusing them of profiting from numerous problematic titles on Steam.
They called on payment processors to “show corporate social responsibility and immediately stop processing payments on Steam and Itch.io and any other platforms hosting similar games.”
Community feedback
The response from the community appears to be mixed on the Steam subreddit, with many expressing dissatisfaction that the platform made these changes due to pressure from payment providers rather than making a decision independently.
Others argued that it shouldn’t be the card companies determining how users spend their money, stating that the final authority should lie with Valve.
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