'Who’s Deciding The Fate Of This Game?' The Secretive Process Of Getting A Game With Sexual Content On Steam
Aftermath • • technology
Key Points:
- The release of the ecosocialist game Future? No Thanks! has been delayed due to Steam's extended review of its nudity and sexual content, causing frustration for developer Paolo Pedercini.
- Meredith Gran, developer of Perfect Tides and its sequel, experienced a lengthy and opaque review process from Steam, including requests to submit builds highlighting sexual content, despite the content being relatively mild.
- Steam's content policies are increasingly stringent, particularly regarding sexual content, leading to censorship and forced changes in marketing materials, as seen with Heather Flowers' 500 Finger Fillet and other indie developers.
- Developers express concern over Steam's vague, slow, and inconsistent review process, which impacts game visibility and accessibility, especially given Steam's dominant position in the market and ongoing monopoly lawsuits.
- In response to Steam's restrictions, Pedercini plans to remove sexual content from Future? No Thanks! for its Steam release and offer an uncut version elsewhere, highlighting tensions between creative expression and platform policies.
