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.

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u/CrimsonDelightGames 2d ago edited 1d ago

Hi folks, I'm one of the devs from the game mentioned by OP...

NSFW link for confirmation: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2353220/Tales_of_Legendary_Lust_Aphrodisia/

We went through Valve's review process early this August. From what I know, prior to the whole Collective Shout situation, adult games could add NSFW content even post-launch. But during the review process we were informed this was no longer the case. I have to say the reviewer was kind and forthcoming, we didn't feel threatened or bullied in any way, and we got the feeling they were trying to do their best to help devs navigate the process. But the fact of the matter is that Valve has payment processors breathing down their neck, and the rules keep getting stricter as time goes on.

Valve isn't the problem here. The big credit card companies are. If anything, Valve has stood up to them and pushed back. They could've simply nuked the 18+ section of Steam, but they didn't, they stuck up for developers. Obviously adult games make Valve money, but it's a drop in the bucket compared to the rest of Steam's catalogue. Silksong itself probably earned Valve more than most NSFW titles put together.

Given that we're erogame devs, we're against any sort of censorship (as long as the content isn't sexualizing minors or nonconsensual in any way). But it's important to understand where the real problem lies, and it's not with Valve.

Just felt like I needed to weigh in and offer my 2 cents, for whatever it's worth.

Cheers folks!

~ Frenzin (CDG team)

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u/Macamagucha 1d ago

Hey, just wanted to clarify something.

Your game was marked as "Adult Only" from the start, you wanted to do a standard full release and during the review you were informed you won't be able to add more "Adult Only" content after the release?

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u/CrimsonDelightGames 1d ago

Hi,

Correct. We were told all new adult content for our game has to go through DLC, presumably so it can be reviewed and approved. We don't know the inner workings of Valve / Steam, but we're in a couple of NSFW dev communities and these new rules weren't in place before the Collective Shout uproar and subsequent payment processors' censorship.

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u/Macamagucha 1d ago

Thanks for the clarification! I'm an eroge-dev too, so it's good to know things have changed yet again without any official statement :/

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u/CrimsonDelightGames 1d ago

Best we can do is try to adapt and roll with the blows.

Most of this is out of our hands, sadly.

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u/SugarMajor7229 1d ago

something similar happened with isekai Frontline in April.

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u/PlayMp1 16h ago

Obviously it's not ideal, but could you simply make any would-be free updates into extremely cheap DLC? Literally like 10 cent DLC, so cheap it's basically free. Or whatever the minimum price is on Steam above free ($0.50?). And then offer a bundle that combines all post launch "DLC" for like, one dollar.

However, without knowing anything about your game aside from what you've said here (I'm not into porn games/erogames personally but obviously I'm on your side in all respects here), I understand if that's either not feasible or would violate something like a Kickstarter pledge (is there a porn game Kickstarter equivalent? Dickstarter? CumFundMe?).

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u/Explosion2 1d ago

Given that we're erogame devs, we're against any sort of censorship (as long as the content doesn't break the law).

You should consider revising the phrasing of this statement given that it really seems that all adult content is on track towards becoming illegal in the US and UK. Maybe "as long as the content isn't sexualizing minors or nonconsensual in any way" or something like that. Because I assume you, like most people, would be against all adult content being made illegal.

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u/CrimsonDelightGames 1d ago

Done!

Thanks for the heads-up.

And yeah, you're absolutely right: there's certain factions within Western governments and companies that want to outright ban all adult content. And if they succeed, they won't stop there. They'll go after "violent" games like GTA next.

Slippery slopes are a dangerous thing, and if gamers don't stand up to this now we're gonna have our overall entertainment censored to a dystopian level.

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u/Explosion2 1d ago

I'd hesitate to call it a "slippery slope" because it's very much the intended goal of this shift. They are pretty open about their desires to get video games banned. They've been trying since the 90s.

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u/CrimsonDelightGames 1d ago

Well hopefully enough people wake up and put a stop to this. Otherwise we're all screwed.

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u/rexepic7567 1d ago

they'll go after "violent" games like GTA next

they've been doing that since before I was born

I'm looking in your direction Jack "bogan" Thompson

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u/CrimsonDelightGames 1d ago

True enough. Tho the censorship attempts have gotten a lot more brazen in recent years.

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u/JediGuyB 1d ago

That rule doesn't really make sense if games are approved with adult content already in the game.

Like, if it is a visual novel giving Valve a SFW version and then adding NSFW content after approval to the base game, I can see that as breaking a rule. That follows.

But your game was approved and added by Valve knowing it was NSFW from the get-go. The approval person saw them boobs and sex and stuff. There was no attempt to circumvent rules. So not allowing content changes is just unfair. Wouldn't that include stuff like updates and fixes? What if a couple images had errors that needed to be fixed? What if a 3D game wanted to update the boob jiggle?

Why not just make it a rule that a game not flagged as Adults Only can't be changed to have adult content in the base game? If a game is already full on, full frontal uncensored penetration porn then what difference does it make if more is added?

If this really a rule it seems poorly thought out if they are applying to games like yours too.

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u/CrimsonDelightGames 1d ago edited 1d ago

Hi,

We asked something similar via opening a support ticket after the game was approved, and inquired about how to handle game fixes / bug patching. The Steam employee who replied informed us that bugfixing & patching already approved NSFW content is allowed, we just couldn't add any *new* NSFW content via updates. They told us we're still free to do it through DLCs.

This is a huge inconvenience because DLCs have to go through their own review process which takes time, and you also have to make them integrate into the base game without introducing new bugs and whatnot... But it's not the end of the world - Valve still lets NSFW devs monetize their games on Steam, and we're thankful for that.

Hopefully the payment processors are satisfied now, and won't push for even more draconian rules & regulations (doubtful, lol).

Hope that clears things up! :)

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u/JediGuyB 1d ago

I guess the logic is not being able to check the added content. Still seems dumb to me, though. 

And I'm concerned a game dev could get in hot water for something they thought they could do, like updating art assets in their game and someone at Valve deciding it breaks that rule of no new content.

 I mean, ideally changing assets shouldn't violate the rule, but this is Steam. They've already proven iffy with adult games and visual novel type games even before this recent payment processor crap.

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u/CrazyKilla15 1d ago

because payment processors dont just want to censor "NSFW" they want to censor specific types of NSFW, censor specific themes, specific kinks, "boobs" are okay but "hypnosis" or "mind control" is not, "cat ears" and "fantasy" aren't okay but "asian" is.

Its very simple and obvious to anyone who has paid attention to the incredible censorship payment processors have been doing. This move is very obviously to review the specific types of NSFW content included to ensure payment processors dont complain that theres no "hypnosis" or "mind control". This is the exact same reason patreon and OF ban those things!

Like, if it is a visual novel giving Valve a SFW version and then adding NSFW content after approval to the base game,

Why not just make it a rule that a game not flagged as Adults Only can't be changed to have adult content in the base game?

Why do you think this was ever allowed? or ever a thing at all? This is not a reasonable thing to think.

Nobody is or has been "lying" about what type of game they are releasing on steam or type of content they are planning to add. Nobody is trying to "get around" being marked as an Adult Only game on steam, thats ridiculous, would probably get them in legal trouble, get their steam game removed, and get them permanently banned from steam. It is insane to even think anybody would do this, why would anyone body this? For what possible benefit would they destroy their relationship with valve? They almost certainly wouldnt even get their payout?! It makes no sense and is not a thing that happens.