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Valve cracks down on “mature themes” in Steam Early Access
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Steam’s Early Access policy is now barring games with mature content, impacting developers and sparking confusion.
- Steam’s Early Access policy now prohibits games with “mature themes.”
- This change follows pressure from payment processors like Mastercard and Visa.
- Itch.io also removed over 20,000 titles due to similar content restrictions.
- Small developers are concerned about the broad application of these new rules.
valve has apparently updated its Steam Early Access policy to exclude games with content it deems “mature themes.” This shift comes as payment processors mount pressure on digital marketplaces.
what is the new Steam Early Access policy? Valve’s updated policy now prevents games with “mature themes” from being accepted into Steam Early Access.
This development was first reported earlier this month. Gaming studio Dammitbird found its adult adventure game, heavy Hearts, was not allowed on Steam Early Access due to its content.
Payment Processors Exert Pressure
Payment processors, including Mastercard and Visa, have been applying pressure since early summer. They are pushing video game marketplaces like Steam and Itch.io to remove certain adults-only content.
This pressure campaign gained momentum after a game called No Mercy was taken down in April. This removal was at the behest of payment processors and an australian anti-porn institution.Since then, these new policies have seen a steady expansion in their application.
Vague Policies Lead to Broad Bans
Steam responded by implementing vague policy changes. These changes aim to appease payment giants. The platform added a sweeping clause to ban certain adult-only content.This has led to the removal of hundreds of games.
Itch.io also made similar changes. It afterward removed more than 20,000 titles from its marketplace. Steam, for its part, has removed hundreds of titles that are publicly known.
Impact on Independent developers
The broad scope of these new policies is notably concerning for small independent developers.Games like VILE: Exhumed, wich are mostly text-based with limited imagery and innuendo, have been banned from Steam and delisted from Itch.io.
These games are far removed from the adult-oriented titles that initially triggered the crackdown.
The Complicated Role of Payment Processors
A significant part of the problem lies in how card payments are policed. Stores like Steam and Itch.io do not contract directly with Visa or Mastercard. Instead, they work with acquiring banks and processors.
These entities are responsible for enforcing card networks’ brand-safety and anti-trafficking rules. This can influence how companies like PayPal operate with Steam across different regions. The response depends on how local banks react to pressure from Visa and Mastercard.
