Forum › Valve Confirms That Games with Mature Content (Including Yuri) Will Stay on the Steam Storefront
https://steamcommunity.com/games/593110/announcements/detail/1666776116200553082
As some of you know, the Steam yuri community had a bit of a scare a few weeks ago when developers/publishers of games with mature content in them that were being hosted on the Steam storefront - including yuri games like Kindred Spirits on the Roof and many others - were sent notices that they would need to remove the adult content from their games by the end of the month, or risk having the game itself removed from the Steam storefront altogether. A few days later, after users pressured Valve to reverse this decision, Valve informed the previously warned developers/publishers that they would be "re-evaluating" these notices.
Today, Valve made a blog post informing Steam users that, yes, all games with mature content will be allowed to stay on the Steam storefront. This includes yuri titles like the previously mentioned Kindred Spirits, and all other games that have content that some might potentially find "offensive".
I, personally, think this is great news, and wanted to share it with everyone, since I'm inclined to believe that I'm not the only person that was worried about how all of this was going to resolve.
last edited at Jun 6, 2018 7:37PM
Does this mean Sono Hana will be allowed back on?
The A Kiss For The Petals game they removed for no reason before did not returned though. Whatever they say now, Valve lost all credibility.
It also doesn't help that this "hands off" approach is exactly the problem that led to this statement needing to be made to begin with. I get that they don't want to stifle creativity and want to be a free, open market. And those are admirable goals, don't get me wrong. But there is a limit to how far that can go. You need to have some kind of stance when it comes to content that is bigoted and hateful. You need to take a stance against games that do not have an executable file or are just sample games sold under a different name. It doesn't matter how many times you say "The items on our store front do not reflect the views and opinions of our company." Whatever you let into your store makes a statement about your company, and the current statement that I'm getting is "we don't care."
Like, the statement seems to think that the ONLY issue here is about differing sociopolitical beliefs. But the real issue is that there seems to be no quality control whatsoever, leading to a mess of complications. And I don't buy this excuse that they can't come to a consensus because they're a big company with staff that all have very different worldviews. Just look at a company like Wal-Mart. It's probably the biggest retail chain in the world, much bigger than Valve could ever hope to be, and it still has strict guidelines on what it will and will not sell. And sure, Wal-Mart isn't known for being exceptionally high quality, but none would argue that their selection of items aren't at the very least serviceable. And it's not like all the staff and employees there agree with every single decision that Wal-Mart makes, but the fact that they DO have standards and quality control practices is why they're able to manage what they sell.
(Note that's not to say that Wal-Mart is always consistent or isn't often hypocritical in the way they enforce these standards, but having them at all is still better than what Valve's claiming it can't do)
Like, I'm glad that the games that were being threatened are no longer under pressure. That's great, and all. Just wish Steam would take a moment to LEARN something from this mistake instead of raising their hands in defeat. It's not befitting of one of the leading platform for digital distribution.
Steam censorship has always been weird. Games like Postal and Hatred deliberately offensive, letting the player do horrible things for entertainment, and while controversial in their own right, they're sitting comfortably in the Steam store. Likewise, games like the Witcher series feature uncensored T and A aplenty, but their place in the Steam store is taken for granted by users and developers alike.
It seems like "anime tiddies" are indeed the greatest threat to the sanctity of a Steam user's mind. =_=
More like "no touching the l00d AAA geese that lay the golden eggs but who cares about the marginal market segments" I'd imagine.
More like "no touching the l00d AAA geese that lay the golden eggs but who cares about the marginal market segments" I'd imagine.
It's partly that but also people get really weirdly worked up over anime stuff when they don't like anime stuff. To the point they often go seek it out just to make a stink. It's not exclusive to anime but it seems to be weirdly common compared to most other subjects.
Well this good news at least. Now we might get 'Full Chorus' at some stage without having hack our way around the internet to get it.
God bless America.
Well this good news at least. Now we might get 'Full Chorus' at some stage without having hack our way around the internet to get it.
Personally I'd just get it straight through MangaGamer's site and not worry, same as I did with the original.
More shitty broken games about killing people for being gay coming right up. Filtering bad games is too much of a chore for a self described big company that selling games is their sole source of income. At least this means some oneloli lewd vns in broken English get sold.
More shitty broken games about killing people for being gay coming right up. Filtering bad games is too much of a chore for a self described big company that selling games is their sole source of income. At least this means some oneloli lewd vns in broken English get sold.
Aren't those illegal, though. Where I live, they technically are, at least, although it's rarely enforced. But they can ban it with that argument. On the other side, SonoHana also could be considered illegal for featuring pornographic content with underaged girls.
Regardless, I think those games will always exist and I don't know if steam banning them would help much. What they need is make sure those games won't be recommend for kids, and a filtering for mature games technically should help with that (not the "what is your age" bullshit, though). The problem is in banning some games with shallow motives and allow other worse things to be in the store.
You could argue that GTA is homophobic and mysoginist, for example, but they would never ban it.
If they decide "we won't ban anything at all", at least they stop being hypocrites. What they're saying is that they won't endorse or condemn any game in the store, since they're just a store.
From their point of view, I would probably do the same, to be honest.
SonoHana also could be considered illegal for featuring pornographic content with underaged girls.
I always found it retarded though. Pornography with real children sure, but since when people become so sensitive about well being of fictional characters? It is just a damn drawing. Not to mention I remember there actually used to be distinction that only real life pornography counted and everything else is safe, but it seems everyone changed laws to account for all instances, which is just plain stupid.
Not to mention, the whole "underaged" is so ill defined. Like it isn't even like 8-12 years old children, but 15-17 years teenagers, who often do it with other teenagers of their age. But somehow because they are below "legal age" and some perverted deviant scumbag over 50 might fap to them it suddenly become a big no no. You don't like something? Sure no problem. Simply don't watch/read it. I will never understand that pathological need to remove and erase everything that is offensive to just one group. Policing everyone else and entire internet, just so they can have their safe space where they don't have to fear encountering anything that they could ever possibly deem controversial. You happen to enjoy something majority and/or people in power find taboo and bad? Well tough luck, you have no saying in the matter. I'm puzzled how from becoming more open about sex, sexuality and serious discussions about controversial subjects, we went back to "it is bad, because I said so, so delete everything and go to prison".
According to this law, 90% of nsfw stuff we got here should be removed, because it is pornographic content of underaged characters. How dare we enjoy sexualization of young girls!
I'm seriously tired of people telling me what I'm allowed to enjoy/create.
Aren't those illegal, though. Where I live, they technically are, at least, although it's rarely enforced. But they can ban it with that argument. On the other side, SonoHana also could be considered illegal for featuring pornographic content with underaged girls.
In the US they’re very legal, purely fictional depictions not based on real events are protected speech.
They wave their hands in the post about whether or not they care about laws in other regions without saying anything concrete, so it could be they just select whatever country has a law banning a particular topic like homosexuality and remove a game globally for it.
Regardless, I think those games will always exist and I don't know if steam banning them would help much. What they need is make sure those games won't be recommend for kids, and a filtering for mature games technically should help with that (not the "what is your age" bullshit, though). The problem is in banning some games with shallow motives and allow other worse things to be in the store.
You could argue that GTA is homophobic and mysoginist, for example, but they would never ban it.
If they decide "we won't ban anything at all", at least they stop being hypocrites. What they're saying is that they won't endorse or condemn any game in the store, since they're just a store.
You endorse something by selling it, if I buy beans at Walmart and when I open the tin it’s actually human fingers I get a refund from Walmart and they stop stocking those beans. They also don’t allow me to just come into the store and start selling dubious oils and radon, and certainly don’t let me sell knockoffs of other real products they sell in the store.
If you sell something you are endorsing it, that is how commerce works, if your endorsement doesn’t mean the coffee grounds aren’t full of glass shards people will shop elsewhere.
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You happen to enjoy something majority and/or people in power find taboo and bad? Well tough luck, you have no saying in the matter. I'm puzzled how from becoming more open about sex, sexuality and serious discussions about controversial subjects, we went back to "it is bad, because I said so, so delete everything and go to prison".
We never "went back to" anything, it's just that the holdouts from the previous generation doubled down on suppressing the things they don't like in response to social progress.
You happen to enjoy something majority and/or people in power find taboo and bad? Well tough luck, you have no saying in the matter. I'm puzzled how from becoming more open about sex, sexuality and serious discussions about controversial subjects, we went back to "it is bad, because I said so, so delete everything and go to prison".
We never "went back to" anything, it's just that the holdouts from the previous generation doubled down on suppressing the things they don't like in response to social progress.
People who are against those controversial material etc. are mostly new generation, not old ones though. It's result of outrage culture, instant comments and people shouting long enough until others will give into their demands. It is people responsible for that "social progress" that are actually the most outraged by all of this.
In the US they’re very legal, purely fictional depictions not based on real events are protected speech.
And yet patreon banned them.
last edited at Jun 7, 2018 10:59AM
More shitty broken games about killing people for being gay coming right up. Filtering bad games is too much of a chore for a self described big company that selling games is their sole source of income. At least this means some oneloli lewd vns in broken English get sold.
You will no doubt be thrilled to know that AIDS Simulator will soon be available on Steam. Here's the description:
"Welcome to Africa, you've got HIV! Now you're mad and want to kill all Africans that gave you aids to get revenge. AIDS Simulator is a very short first-person shooter with boring gameplay, bad graphics and generic assets."
So hooray for the "we don't judge, if you don't like something just don't download it" approach?
You endorse something by selling it, if I buy beans at Walmart and when I open the tin it’s actually human fingers I get a refund from Walmart and they stop stocking those beans.
I'm sorry, but I disagree. You'll get a refund because you wanted to buy beans, not human fingers. The Walmart won't stock those beans anymore because there isn't a demand for human fingers (and it's criminal). If human fingers become popular and decriminalized, you can be sure Walmart will stock it.
You don't see supermarket stop selling cigarettes because it can kill you, or alcohol. A lot of owners probably hate cigarettes and alcohol, but they'll still stock it. When we used to rent movies, it wasn't rare to ask the proprietary about their opinion about a movie you were curious, and some of them would even say "it's garbage".
You not always endorse what you sell. Sometimes it's just business.
Now, it would be nice if steam would filter their content more, but what is or not allowed would be decided by biased people in ways steam can't control. They have a lot of games in their store, and if someone report Kindred Spirits saying it's a pedophiliac game, maybe the people reviewing it will agree with the report (and to begin with, the girls are underage in the original). Or, more likely, no one will take 60 hours of their time to play a game they have no interest just to confirm that report. So if a lot of people report for the same reason, they'll just assume it's true, and that's how this mess was born.
I'm not sure if a game where the objective is kill minorities would pass, but most of the time, those games don't even exist, because it's bad business. They're usually sold with another premisse and that content is just a subtext inside. Even Hatred was just another game of killing people if you didn't research the devs history. When the game is exactly that, I'm not sure if it wouldn't be considered trolling.
More shitty broken games about killing people for being gay coming right up. Filtering bad games is too much of a chore for a self described big company that selling games is their sole source of income. At least this means some oneloli lewd vns in broken English get sold.
You will no doubt be thrilled to know that AIDS Simulator will soon be available on Steam. Here's the description:
"Welcome to Africa, you've got HIV! Now you're mad and want to kill all Africans that gave you aids to get revenge. AIDS Simulator is a very short first-person shooter with boring gameplay, bad graphics and generic assets."
So hooray for the "we don't judge, if you don't like something just don't download it" approach?
Oh well, forget my last point then.
I can see something like this causing such damage that'll make them reconsider again, actually. Even more since Jim Sterling called out on it.
But then again, that would be the only game banned and I'm sure a lot of offensive games would still pass under the radar.
To be fair, it's better that they stay irrelevant.
Edit: https://steamcommunity.com/app/875280/discussions/0/1696049513765678970/
By the way, giving how the dev is acting, this should be considered a troll game.
last edited at Jun 7, 2018 11:29AM
(and to begin with, the girls are underage in the original).
What do you mean in original? Did steam/english version changed their age?
(and to begin with, the girls are underage in the original).
What do you mean in original? Did steam/english version changed their age?
I'm not sure which, but I remember that they either changed their age or remove it in promotional material. Their age isn't mentioned at all in game.
(and to begin with, the girls are underage in the original).
What do you mean in original? Did steam/english version changed their age?
I'm not sure which, but I remember that they either changed their age or remove it in promotional material. Their age isn't mentioned at all in game.
Yea, I didn't remember mention of their age, but knew they are like around 16 years old since they are in high school. I guess they just removed age then to be safe.
[**Parnifia the Bastard** posted:](https://dynasty-scans.com/forum/topics/13940-valve-
GendoIkari posted:In the US they’re very legal, purely fictional depictions not based on real events are protected speech.
And yet patreon banned them.
Amazon stopped selling LO too, they can do what they damn well please when it comes to not selling things to you. Same with payment processors, they can ban what they don’t want you spending money on, unless you’re using cash for a person to person transaction a third non governmental party has a say in what you can buy.
Even in this “hands off” approach steam has left itself wiggle room to remove things it doesn’t like, “obvious troll” games can mean anything with a message and “illegal” means illegal somewhere it operates, like China and Russia where homosexuality is banned or parts of the EU where microtransactions are banned. At the end of the day the policy is still that they can delete your game if someone at valve doesn’t like it or you, but now they’re letting every fucker who can afford Unity assets try and pull one over.
Amazon stopped selling LO
What is LO?
Amazon stopped selling LO
What is LO?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comic_LO
Lolicon manga.
Also, Steam did talk about adjusting for each region law. They can ban things based on region alone. As far as I know, Russia doesn't ban homossexual content if it's digital (yet), and China...it's complicated. But Citrus was fine in BilliBilli. There are definitely places that ban that kind of content, though, unfortunately.
Actually, they talked about how their staff weren't sure about what was allowed or not, so that's why they went with "just allow everything". Most visual novels that were being removed couldn't be considered trolling by any definition. This AIDS Simulator is an example of clearly troll, starting by their description.
I do think they should have better quality control overall, but that might be impossible considering their growth now, unless they start refusing all new submitions for some time. And even then, their staff could just decide things they don't like aren't good enough. There's a lot of people in west who consider anime style trash, for example. Also, remind that most os these VN wouldn't be allowed on a more restrict store, like PSN or eShop.