Steam Indefinitely Bans Adult Games Pending Category System
Mike Sanders / 6 years ago
Steam Indefinitely Bans Adult Games
Steam has always had a difficult relationship when it comes to games with adult content. Just to be clear here, we’re not talking adult as in guns and drugs. We’re talking adult as in computer generated boobies. At the risk of sound like an expert in this subject, you might be wondering what the problem is. For example, games such as the Witcher contain a fair amount of risque material. Well, you see Steam doesn’t really have a problem with those games, it’s more the type that is pretty much pornographic in a full-frontal sense.
Flip-Flop Stance
In the past, Steam has always really struggled to get a comfortable footing. Usually, games have been censored via their site, but then patches can be downloaded to bypass the ban. At one point though, Steam decided to ban the links being advertised on Store pages. Less than a month later, they said they were opening the doors to any form of adult gaming. In a nutshell, they said anything is permissible as long as it’s not a scam, troll or outright illegal game.
You can see how much they have flip-flopped on this matter.
In the latest report via PCGamesN though, it seems that Steam has placed a temporary ban on any new ‘adult’ games being sold on the site.
Why The Ban?
Just to be clear, they have not done yet another u-turn here. In what is perhaps the most sensible move they have made to date in this difficult situation, Steam has simply decided to that until it can figure out the best way to categorise and advertise these games on their website, it’s probably best that they don’t accept any more for release.
The idea basically is that like video stores of old, they’re planning on putting a beaded curtain section at the back of the shop. In fairness, I think this is a smart move. Particularly if they look to incorporate a more stringent age check than they currently do. Don’t forget that Steams current age rating system, like so many others, is based entirely on the ‘honour system’.
What do you think? Is this a smart move by Steam? – Do I sound way too knowledgeable on this subject? – Let us know in the comments!