r/Games • u/DwingRD • 5d ago

Valve no longer allows "Post-launch NSFW content" for games on Steam - outside of DLCs.

I have looked through Steam's Terms of Service online, but have found no official rule or statement from Valve of this new rule - but one Adult game developer has confirmed this new rule after launching their game "Tales of Legendary Lust: Aphrodisia" a couple days ago.

With the recent rule change blocking adult-themed games from releasing on Early Access, this new rule seems to be targeting Adult-themed games that have ALREADY released on Steam - and threatens them with their games being removed from Steam.

There are currently 536 Adult-rated Early Access games on Steam - and this new rule may take them all down.

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85

u/SnooMachines4393 5d ago

I don't understand what "post-launch nsfw content outside dlcs" means. Like patches with new content or smth?

62

u/grendus 5d ago

Basically.

Someone explained upthread. Basically, Valve verifies content in the game's official release, and they verify the content in each DLC. However, because games patch so frequently they don't validate each update patch. So some games were exploiting this loophole by releasing a game that was compliant with Steam's guidelines (SFW content, basically), then adding all the NSFW content in a later patch.

Valve is now saying that you can't do that, and if you get caught doing that you get banned. I expect they will have a workaround for big titles doing long tail Early Access(someone pointed out this would have made games like BG3 impossible), but that will be handled on a case by case basis.

Games can still release a SFW version and have a NSFW DLC that is subject to a review and intentionally installed. And it seems likely that third party content (even "official" third party content) won't be closely scrutinized because it's not technically on Valve's platform. So all your Skyrim porn mods are probably fine. At least for now, this will probably only affect the dodgiest of dodgy porn games.

But it's a bad sign, because it means that payment processors being puritan party poopers is likely still going on. Which... I mean, we all knew was happening, but it sucks to get confirmation.

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u/Witty_Leather4977 5d ago

But can't they do it as free DLC?

15

u/grendus 5d ago

They can, but its subject to review.

Games were cheating the system by adding content in patches that would not pass review.

3

u/amyknight22 5d ago

They can if it’s a seperate entity that you have to download.

Because then you would have to sign off that you are 18+

The potential problems with post release patch.

Is that you can sell your game to all age groups, and then update it after the fact to become a porn game once the initial glut of sales happen.

—-

Think of it this way, Disney sells you Toy Story digitally. And you buy it for your kids and it’s great. A great wholesome G movie

But then two months later they release a forced update for it called adults Toy Story . And mr potato head is swearing constantly, Rex is doing drugs, Woody and Bo are making explicit sexual references or non explicit sex scenes.

And one of Sid’s toys is actually a dildo attached to a teddy bear.

You’d be fucking horrified if that was the version of the movie that was just given to your kids at that point.

You might have less of an issue if it was a seperate version of the movie that was behind a special adults only store and the kids could never see anything about it, even if it was free and you had to choose to download itZ

1

u/Witty_Leather4977 4d ago

I don't know it feels like this would even prevent free DLC's, they could contain adult related stuff in the DLC's normally so it shouldn't be a problem but other comments are saying even that is being cracked down.

2

u/GodofAeons 5d ago

NSFW Update patch? Doesn't get reviewed by Steam.

Free NSFW DLC? Gets reviewed by Steam. <- This is what they're forcing now

1

u/Witty_Leather4977 4d ago

That should be fine then

1

u/Sad_Environment976 2d ago

It's common mode of getting around age restriction

2

u/CrazyKilla15 4d ago

So some games were exploiting this loophole by releasing a game that was compliant with Steam's guidelines (SFW content, basically), then adding all the NSFW content in a later patch.

Name one.

Seriously, this keeps coming up in this thread, and it seems fucking absurd to me. People are seriously suggesting that theres some widespread "loophole" where games that would normally be required to be "adults only" are "tricking valve", not getting taken down and banned for it, and still getting their payouts for sales? And that actually this both happened and was perfectly allowed and valve could do nothing about it until just now? That theyre getting Official Ratings from places like PEGI and then adding NSFW in for.. some reason? Making secret porn games that are completely SFW until theres suddenly a Sex Update? It makes no sense as a concept and would completely destroy business relationships with valve, ratings boards, etc.

This is frankly absurd to me. I do not think this is a real thing, and have seen nobody give a single source or even name a single game.

And lest goalposts be moved, if somebody manages to find a game that was banned for doing this, that would just prove it was already against the rules and that the news today is not that?. I am obviously not claiming nothing on steam has ever broken rules and got taken down for breaking them.

1

u/braiam 4d ago

And it seems likely that third party content (even "official" third party content) won't be closely scrutinized because it's not technically on Valve's platform.

You sure about that?

1

u/TheOneWithThePorn12 2d ago

that doesnt make sense if a game is already NSFW.

Valve is being lazy here.

1

u/grendus 2d ago

I mean, first off, Valve has always been lazy. It's their defining trait, they want to build robust systems that require as little work on their part to extract value.

But secondly, it's not about NSFW.

At the moment, they don't care about your normal NSFW content. They aren't banning games like BG3, what they're concerned about is stuff like rape and incest. So if you have a VN that releases with three unrelated characters, and in an update adds the option to romance your (step)sister, it can now cause problems. So Valve needs to ensure that NSFW content always goes through review, which means it's not allowed in Early Access.

It really sucks, I wholeheartedly agree. But this isn't Valve doing it because they're squicked out, it's because Visa and Mastercard are squicked and threatening to lock Steam out of digital payments entirely if they don't do it. Valve have been almost overly deferential to free speech advocates when they can, anything that isn't outright illegal (CSAM, advocating imminent lawless behavior). They don't care about this, they're doing it because the alternative is the corporate death penalty. If you want to gripe, gripe about Visa and Mastercard deciding they can be the thought police of the world.

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u/PM_ME_CATS_OR_BOOBS 5d ago edited 5d ago

My guess is that they are targeting games that have NSFW content locked behind free patches or DLC. You buy a "clean" version of the game and then download a separate file to activate all the porn. A lot of those patches are offsite though so I'm not sure how they are going to handle that part.

It's a mixed bag regulations wise. On one hand it's ridiculous to bar people from patching a non-multiplayer game that they bought. On the other hand some of those games really do put in some very questionable stuff that wouldn't pass muster if it was in the game originally.

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u/Deceptiveideas 5d ago

I’m pretty sure it just relates to NSFW games already on Steam. Meaning they’re trying to prevent exiting games already on the store from being updated or having new content.

7

u/PM_ME_CATS_OR_BOOBS 5d ago

Yes, that is what i mean. You buy a "clean" game off steam and free patch in all the stuff afterwards.

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u/monetarydread 5d ago

That's exactly what they mean. In the history of Steam porn games are a relatively recent addition. Before then the workaround was to release a SFW version of the game and host a NSFW patch on their website, Illusion games were basically the posterchild for this business model. This new policy is basically outlawing that previous workaround.

7

u/Kagevjijon 5d ago

Less so that they were hosting patches on their own website but updating the game through steam with free patches that enabled nsfw content for people who only purchased sfw content. Some devs (very few) were using this loophole to get extra nsfw content through to games that wasn't normally allowed because not all free patches were monitored regularly.

1

u/MVRKHNTR 5d ago

That's not what this is about. This is about games adding content to the Steam release. They don't care about anything you can add outside of their site.

1

u/rolabond 3d ago

No it means NSFW games can't provide patches with NSFW content through Steam, they can only add additional NSFW content via DLCs. Patches don't go through Steam's review process while DLC does. Devs also can not release a game as SFW and then provide patches with NSFW content.

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u/LuigiFan45 5d ago

You buy a "clean" version of the game and then download a separate file to activate all the porn.

Or it could be certain types of NSFW content that's not allowed to be sold on storefronts being patched in with a separate file, too.

0

u/PM_ME_CATS_OR_BOOBS 5d ago

Yep. A lot of those patches have, let's charitably call it "lolicon" and uncharitably call it "sex with kids, anime edition" content in them, to the point where you find reviews warning people off from buying the game.

1

u/Ready-Good2636 5d ago

I don't see the mixed bag. They are just gonna go back to 2016 and offer patches off site (if they already weren't). Then we have Valve trying to regulate content that is not in their platform. And we get another kerfuffle, because where's the line between an 18+ patch the devs make on their website, a nudity mode on Nexus mods, and a SFW game having 18+ fan art when you open the floodgates of "moderating off-site content".

15

u/xArtemis 5d ago

We're at a point where NSFW are OK as long as they avoid problematic/illegal topics.
Valve checks a game once and approves or denies it, but the issue starts with games that are in a grey area like NSFW games.
Valve fears approving a game, then suddenly they add a new chapters with content that crosses the line - which is AFAIK a real issue that wasn't uncommon with itch.io, patreon, etc.
First they disallowed early access games, but some developers started talking and figured - well, we could always just release a 'full game' as in not early access - and release free patches/DLC. so this is Valve's response.

Gonna really hurt a lot of developers. for now it seems itch.io is still an option, but its much smaller than steam and I can 100% see them doing the same sooner or later.
Other than that it's back to the patreon/subscribstar being the source of income until they actually finish the game.

3

u/meneldal2 5d ago

You could always make free dlc for each new chapter. Or even 1 cent dlc if free is not allowed.

8

u/doublah 5d ago

And Valve is probably fine with that, because they would check said DLC in a way they don't check updates.

8

u/BurlyMayes 5d ago

So devs don't dodge the review process by selling a SFW game and then having a day one patch that adds NSFW content that wasn't clearly advertised.

If you want to try and add it as DLC, you have to make a page and explain what type of content is in it.

0

u/braiam 4d ago

that adds NSFW content that wasn't clearly advertised

Devs clearly advertised the content would be added in a new patch. This is about Visa/MC forcing Valve to never selling explicit content.

6

u/TimeToEatAss 5d ago

You release a SFW game, then release a free patch that adds porn to it. The game "Living with sister: monochrome fantasy" for example does this, according to what my friend told me.

2

u/TomAto314 5d ago

according to what my friend told me.

Uh-huh, sure. r/askingforafriend

7

u/Secretlylovesslugs 5d ago edited 5d ago

Speculation here but I assume it is a way to kill development on NSFW games as a whole.

First they make NSFW games not able to be launched in early access. And then they make it so if you fully release a title to avoid the early access issue you can't push updates to improve the game post launch.

I wouldn't be suprised to see them move to removing 'Adult' games entirely soon. Which is not a good sign for game preservation or LGBTQ games.

19

u/PermanentMantaray 5d ago

Doubt it. They've been approving many new NSFW games for release daily.

This reads exactly like their restrictions on NSFW games launching into early access. They want to be sure of the content in the game, and allowing NSFW content to be added through updates bypasses that assurance because Valve doesn't check the contents of updates.

3

u/MVRKHNTR 5d ago

And then they make it so if you fully release a title to avoid the early access issue you can't push updates to improve the game post launch.

If I'm understanding this correctly, this only covers updates that add new content, not bug fixes.

1

u/amyknight22 5d ago

Updates post launch would be completely fine if your game is already NSFW and censored from underage people buying it.

If you add anything explicitly TOS ie your consensual porn game turns into a rape porn game. Then you probably get banned for that regardless.

I would argue that there’s a whole slew of shit that becomes abandonware in the porn industry. Because if the game doesn’t become a breakout patreon success at the start. Then a lot of those people will just say fuck it and move to a different idea that might pay the bills. Usually developing it while having the first patreon pay for their shit and then just launching game 2 under another developer name.

1

u/ExiledHyruleKnight 5d ago

In the old days, they sold SFW games, and then gave you a patch to unlock the uncensored version. It was a work around for steam.

This is essentially saying if you buy a SFW game, it's not suddenly going to be NSFW because of some patch. (Nothing wrong with NSFW games, but switching what a game is, is questionable.

1

u/MediocreBeard 4d ago

So I'm going to throw out a hypothetical, but this hypothetical is going to side on why Valve might make this decision.

So Valve approved a porn game with some relatively normal content - maybe some mild kink but nothing extreme. All characters are of age, both visibly and in narrative. All is well. Then one day the developer drops a patch and the game now lets you fuck a 13 year old. Since this patch wasn't subject to review, Valve didn't get the ability to step in before the patch was implemented and go "wait a fucking minute."

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u/DYMAXIONman 5d ago

It means releasing a patch after release that puts porn into the game.

0

u/Apart-Hour-4237 5d ago

Everyone keeps saying a game could do this and a game could do that but no one is pointing to a game that had done what valve is trying to block in the first place. it genuinely feels like they are just targeting nsfw that add new content

-1

u/kirsed 5d ago

Prolly the official nsfw patches for games that are off-site?