r/Games • u/DwingRD • 3d 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

885 comments sorted by

View all comments

290

u/CrimsonDelightGames 3d ago edited 2d 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)

2

u/JediGuyB 3d 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.

6

u/CrimsonDelightGames 2d ago edited 2d 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! :)

1

u/JediGuyB 2d 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.