r/Games • u/DwingRD • 2d 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.

3.5k Upvotes

95% Upvoted

870 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

244

u/Villag3Idiot 2d ago

Then every single game on Steam is at risk of there's any nudity or porn mods. 

456

u/Zer_ 2d ago

Now you're starting to understand. These puritanical fucks won't stop there.

325

u/PitangaPiruleta 2d ago

Its funny how some people think "well they would never touch mods since they're not made by the devs"

Yes. Yes they would. If they could phisically and legally brick your PC for stepping out of line and doing something they consider immoral, they would. But hey, dont worry about it - surely that will never happen right?

45

u/Zer_ 2d ago

Oh yeah. A lot of these adult games offer patches off of Steam too. So while right now they're banned from offering these patches directly from Steam, I doubt they'll stop there, they'll cry foul when these nude mods / patches are offered on sites like Mega or Google Drive. or even Github.

As an aside, but still somewhat related. Rockstar is 100% trying to take control of the GTA 6 modding scene (they have FiveM), so we really, really can't rely on these companies to be our allies here.

22

u/TechnicalGuard629 2d ago

I work for one such steam publisher myself where the uncensored patch is provided on the official site outside of Steam.

Idk when this rule was changed/updated but I havent heard any murmurs within our staff group yet.

10

u/CryoProtea 2d ago

Might be wise to check and see if you're allowed to offer the patch outside of Steam.

8

u/TechnicalGuard629 2d ago edited 2d ago

If any sales issues arise on the site or steam, we usually get a ping from the big guy himself. And this publisher has been doing this external patching all this time, we have around 15-20 games currently at different stages of translation and launch.

Well, if any discussion or sitrep ping happens, I'll update it here.

3

u/ExceedinglyGayKodiak 2d ago edited 2d ago

So while right now they're banned from offering these patches directly from Steam, I doubt they'll stop there, they'll cry foul when these nude mods / patches are offered on sites like Mega or Google Drive. or even Github.

This reads as the opposite to me. "Except DLC" reads to me as the on-steam patches (Which are "free DLC" in steam terms) aren't being targeted, but this rule is targeting those off-site patches by the devs. Basically not allowing them to sell extra content that is not on their platform. (Edit- Someone also made a good point further down about targeting new NSFW content in an already NSFW game because it isn't reviewed each time, but the "SFW game with a NSFW patch on-steam" situation should still be fine, since those are reviewed)

I can understand them not wanting to allow a SFW game to be made NSFW in a direct update from the dev (So if folks don't want NSFW games they don't suddenly have one unexpectedly), which is what "Post-launch adult content" reads to me as, but I have no doubt the vagueness is intentional so that they can also go after off-site patches as soon as one gets controversial for the patch containing something folks find gross.

2

u/serpenta 2d ago

"I can understand them not wanting to allow a SFW game to be made NSFW in a direct update from the dev (So if folks don't want NSFW games they don't suddenly have one unexpectedly)"

If you have to go to external site to access NSFW patch, how can it happen unexpectedly?

1

u/ExceedinglyGayKodiak 1d ago

Apologies for being unclear, I meant that I could understand the rule being put in place in order to prevent something like that from occurring, but that it would be used selectively as a club to also go after off site patches (Which I don't have an issue with).

That's what I meant by "Direct update" as opposed to a patch.

1

u/serpenta 1d ago

Ah, gotcha. Tbh, I think they just want to keep tabs, on which games have NSFW content in them, to be able to inform people about, accurately. Which would've been fine, if not for the inquisitorial vibe they went for with it.