Are Your Games Safe? Steam's Vague Adult Content Policy Causes Mass Delistings

Steam is a PC gaming jugernaut, and it largely considered the defacto digital distribution network for developers and game buyers alike. This has led to the platform amassing a wide variety of games, including some of the spicy variety. However, it seems as if Valve’s more permissive policies are coming to an end, leading to concerns that more censorship is inevitable.

Changes to the platform’s policies were spotted thanks to SteamDB. Developers who want to sell their wares on Steam are able to go through an onboarding process that includes rules they must adhere to. The rules now include a stipulation that titles will need to heed “the rules and standards set forth by Steam’s payment processors and related card networks and banks, or internet network providers.“ Specifically, "certain kinds of adult-only content."

These new rules went into effect immediately, leading to the removal of several games. The delisting of these games will only be felt by a small portion of the user base, as these were all adult only experiences. Although the fact that they are being removed at all portends a future where game developers might self censor to ensure access to Steam.


The fear stems from the the fact that there is now a third party, in this case payment processors, who will have a say in the kinds of games that are allowed on the platform. It appears as if these rules are vague and there’s no way for developers to know what might get them dinged, or if the definition of “adult” will change down the road.

For example, the incredibly popular Cyberpunk 2077 features nudity and sexual themes that might be interpreted as “adult” content by many. The vagueness of the rules mean that the game might be eligible for removal. This could easily lead to developers self censoring to avoid running afoul of the rules.

Sadly, Valve isn’t in a great position to push back because these payment processors are vital for the company’s business. Hopefully the fears of censorship don’t end up materializing.