In the last two weeks, countless “adults only” and “not safe for work” games have been removed from Steam and itch.io—two leading platforms for PC game distribution—as they scramble to adhere to stricter regulations set by payment processors like MasterCard, Visa, and PayPal.
These regulations came about following a campaign known as A Collective Cry, which pressured payment processors to cease facilitating transactions for platforms hosting content that features “games related to rape, incest, and child sexual abuse.” However, the scope of these new rules extends far beyond those issues, affecting even award-winning titles.
How did this begin?
On July 16th, Valve, the developer behind Steam, revised its Rules and Guidelines for game distribution. Existing prohibitions against “nude or sexually explicit images of real people” and “adult content that is not labeled or age-gated” were expanded to include “content that may violate the rules and standards laid out by certain types of adult content.”
In a statement to PC gamers on July 18th, Valve acknowledged that several games have been “retired” from the Steam store due to these new regulations. However, they did not specify which games were removed or define what types of “adult content” are deemed unacceptable.
A week later, itch.io issued a statement indicating it was also being “scrutinized” by payment processors. Consequently, all games tagged as “NSFW” were “deleted” (removed from search results) following a “comprehensive audit of content to comply with payment processor requirements.” Unlike Valve, itch.io explicitly mentioned the collective cry as the impetus behind the increased scrutiny.
What is A Collective Cry?
Collective Shout is an Australian group describing itself as “a grassroots campaign against the objectification of women and the sexualization of girls.”
In April, they achieved a major victory by having the game No Mercy—featuring themes of “incest,” “coerced sexual acts,” and “inevitably non-consensual gender”—removed from both Steam and itch.io. Following this, the group released an open letter stating, “We have identified hundreds of additional games on Steam and itch.io that involve themes of rape, incest, and child sexual abuse,” demanding companies to “demonstrate corporate social responsibility” by ceasing payment processing for those platforms.
After Steam updated its rules, A Collective Cry requested credits for the changes, stating that over 1,000 supporters contacted their payment processors to “stop financing these games.”
What is the role of payment processors?
Like many online retailers, both Steam and itch.io depend on payment processors to facilitate transactions. As such, these processors wield significant influence, impacting what products can be sold, published, or purchased, regardless of their legality.
In recent years, payment processors have tightened rules regarding transactions linked to adult content. In 2021, several subscription-based adult content platforms considered banning such materials following pressure from payment processors but ultimately reversed that decision. Later that same year, MasterCard initiated a new policy governing adult content retailers. The American Civil Liberties Union has pointed out that these measures can restrict free speech and be detrimental to sex workers, contributing to financial censorship.
The award-winning game Consume Me has been affected by these policies. Photo: 66
Which games have been impacted?
It’s unclear how many games have been “retired” from Steam as a result of these new regulations, but several titles featuring incest themes have been deleted. As previously mentioned, itch.io has also removed most games labeled as NSFW. According to the Games Industry Newsletter Game Files, since July 16th, over 20,000 games have been removed from itch.io’s NSFW category.
Among those affected are games that explore unique themes of identity and sexuality, such as Radiator 2, created by Robert Yang, a former faculty member at New York University’s arcade center. The rules have also impacted games that do not feature sexual content at all, including The Last Call, an award-winning narrative about domestic violence survival created by Nina Freeman, and Consume Me, which has received numerous industry accolades for its approach to intricate topics.
How has the gaming industry reacted?
Many developers have criticized the power that payment processors hold over the market, particularly how their influence is amplified through campaign groups like A Collective Cry. In a post on Bluesky, Yang labeled the collective cry and payment processors’ actions as “a cultural war against sexual expression, particularly affecting LGBTQ individuals,” but noted that it is entirely unacceptable for payment processors to engage in selective censorship that systematically marginalizes adult content creators.
On July 17, a petition was launched on change.org, urging payment processors and activist groups to “refrain from controlling what we can watch, read, or play.” The petition argues that “MasterCard and Visa hinder legal entertainment” and calls for “the right to select our own narratives without moral surveillance.” Over 150,000 signatures have been gathered so far, as gamers and developers share contact information for major payment companies to encourage complaints.
What comes next?
It’s difficult to predict the future. Ongoing consumer pressure could prompt payment processors to reconsider their stance, but it may also challenge anti-censorship advocates to gain political backing amidst shifting legislative attitudes toward online adult content. The UK recently implemented stricter regulations regarding age verification for internet users seeking access to adult material, while the EU has proposed draft guidelines for similar measures.
Thus, new rules may be here to stay on Steam and itch.io for now. However, the resulting fallout has illuminated the influence of payment processors and the ambiguity surrounding the regulations. Such uncertainty may compel companies to tread more carefully in responding to pressure from future advocacy groups.
Source: www.theguardian.com
