A surprising and controversial shift has rocked the gaming community. Known for its relatively open stance toward adult games — including those with highly explicit content — Steam has long been considered a safe haven for developers operating in this niche.
However, a recent update to Steam’s policies has introduced an ambiguous new clause, leaving many developers and users concerned. The clause states that payment processing companies can now have a say in what kinds of games are allowed to be published and sold on the platform.
The implications of this clause were quickly felt. Several adult games, particularly those touching on controversial themes such as incestuous relationships, have suddenly become inaccessible on Steam. This has raised alarm bells among adult game developers, many of whom now fear for the future of their games and their ability to rely on Steam as a primary platform for distribution.
What’s Happening on Steam?
As speculation and confusion mounted, Valve issued an official statement to the website GamingOnLinux, shedding light on the situation. According to Valve, they received formal notifications from payment processing companies, likely including major players like Visa and Mastercard, stating that certain adult titles available on Steam violated their terms and content guidelines.
Valve explained that continuing to allow these titles on the platform could result in Steam losing access to vital payment services, which would directly impact users’ ability to purchase games and other content.
In response, Valve made the difficult decision to comply with the request and remove the affected adult games from its Steam platform. The company has also contacted the developers of these titles, offering to return app credits should they wish to publish future projects on the platform.
This incident is not without precedent. Similar actions by credit card companies acting in such a manner have occurred in other regions, most notably in Japan just a few months ago. The latest move highlights the increasing influence of financial service providers in shaping digital content policies across various platforms.
