Steam bans adult visual novel months after release, raising censorship fears

[llien]

Lots of people were easily patching the game, the devs just circumvented the Steam rules but apparently Valve found out and decided to ban the game.

Would Steam not allow it as is, without cutting scenes, if it was rated as 18+?

 

[Rikoi]

Would Steam not allow it as is, without cutting scenes, if it was rated as 18+?

I don't know, but I don't think so. The reason they do this is because lolis can be seen as pedo content which would be illegal, same reason why they banned that rape game a while ago

 

[LazyParrot]

Lots of people were easily patching the game, the devs just circumvented the Steam rules but apparently Valve found out and decided to ban the game.

That's not really it. Valve claimed that the patches in question simply unlock content that is already present in the Steam release of the game, which the publisher says is not true. If games could simply be kicked off the store for letting players patch in content that violates Valve's rules then they'd have to get rid of Skyrim too.

 

[TeezzyD]

People who play this stuff must be so fucking weird.

 

[Rikoi]

That's not really it. Valve claimed that the patches in question simply unlock content that is already present in the Steam release of the game, which the publisher says is not true. If games could simply be kicked off the store for letting players patch in content that violates Valve's rules then they'd have to get rid of Skyrim too.

Well we will have to choose who we want to believe then.
But steam allows a lot of sexual games and mods and I don't see any other reason why they should ban this one in particular.

 

[Mista]

People who play this stuff must be so fucking weird.

Out of all the damn games out there...

 

[Spukc]

Yes censorship is bad but come on, there are some games that shouldn’t be there in the first place. Like why the fuck would you make such “game”?

Agreed also all owners of that game should be stealth banned so they only play online with other sick fucks. Kinda like gta5 did with trolls

 

[JCK75]

While I hope censorship is kept to a minimum, I don't need pedo simulators to have a home there.

 

[CuteFaceJay]

If Valve purchased Twitch they would have cleared out all the titty streamers ages ago. Real shame.

 

[LazyParrot]

Well we will have to choose who we want to believe then.
But steam allows a lot of sexual games and mods and I don't see the reason why they should ban this one in particular.

That's the thing. When it comes to this stuff, Valve targets Japanese games almost exclusively. Games disappear from the Store despite passing Valves initial content checks, or get blocked from release due to supposed content issues only to be made available later unchanged with an all-ages rating and no explanation given. Meanwhile, Steam is full of mostly Western-made porn shovelware that Valve doesn't seem to care about at all.

Either Valve has no real, definite content guidelines for what Japanese games they will and won't allow on their store, or they're refusing to share them with devs and publishers.

 

[SLoWMoTIoN]

Fire Emblem I think

But why though? Everytime this happens we get replies like that. We aren't resetERA.

 

[Rikoi]

But why though? Everytime this happens we get replies like that. We aren't resetERA.

Well It's explicitly written in the flavour text of the image linked, since that card comes from fire emblem heroes

Games disappear from the Store despite passing Valves initial content checks, or get blocked from release due to supposed content issues only to be made available later unchanged with an all-ages rating and no explanation given. Meanwhile, Steam is full of mostly Western-made porn shovelware that Valve doesn't seem to care about at all.

Either Valve has no real, definite content guidelines for what Japanese games they will and won't allow on their store, or they're refusing to share them with devs and publishers.

I don't think Valve has a strong content check, they get so many games uploaded that often times slips off them, and then unless the game is very "problematic?" ( I hate using this word), or it gets reported by loads of people, they just won't care at all.
I am not sure but I don't know of any western sexual games that depicts underage/underdeveloped characters, but of course if there was a case like this someone might be more informed than me.

 

[SLoWMoTIoN]

Well It's explicitly written in the flavour text of the image linked, since that card comes from fire emblem heroes

No man, the replies. We get these retarded ass replies every time we question selective censorship.

 

[Fuz]

I can't stand weebs.
I detest those games.
But censorship is a very dangerous path to tread, no one will get any benefits from it, everyone will eventually lose. Adults should be free to enjoy whatever they want, as long as they don't damage other people.


Also, fuck you stupid gamers for accepting steam and launchers and letting them have this sort of power over your purchases and creativity.

 

[Rikoi]

No man, the replies. We get these retarded ass replies every time we question selective censorship.

I guess they can't be avoided.
Some people just despise these kind of games, that everytime there is a thread like this they will spit out all their hate for this genre.
Hell some people can't even stand games just because they have anime graphics.

 

[RedVIper]

People throw the word 'censorship' around to easily...Valve is a company, not the government...they are free to decide what goes in their store and the developer is free to distribute their game direct to consumer or through other stores...this isn't censorship. At all.

"Censorship is the suppression of speech, public communication, or other information, on the basis that such material is considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive, or "inconvenient." Censorship can be conducted by governments, private institutions, and other controlling bodies."

It is censorship, they're allowed, but it's still censorship.

 

[ShirAhava]

"3D MASS MURDER good, 2D ANIME TIDDY bad" selective censorship really pisses me off

 

[LazyParrot]

I don't think Valve has a strong content check, they get so many games uploaded that often times slips off them, and then unless the game is very "problematic?" ( I hate using this word), or it gets reported by loads of people, they just won't care at all.

Not in these cases, anyway. The Expression Amrilato, an educational visual novel about learning Esperanto, got blocked by Valve before its release despite containing no sexual content whatsoever aside from a bath scene and a kiss. I highly doubt anyone who isn't interested in the game had even heard about it before the release, so I don't think a flood of reports is to blame. Valve later decided to allow the game on the store with no content changes and an all-ages rating. I don't think they ever told anyone why they initially blocked its release.

I am not sure but I don't know of any western sexual games that depicts underage/underdeveloped characters, but of course if there was a case like this someone might be more informed than me.

Life is Strange 2 features an actual sex scene involving two underage teenagers that is more explicit that anything in the game I mentioned above. I don't recall that game being held back or getting pulled from the store after release.

 

[IntentionalPun]

So they literally had depictions of underage sex in the files deployed through Steam and this thread is still decrying this as censorship?

lol

Man some of you are suss as hell.

Technically banning child porn is "censorship" you dolts... so maybe pick a different hill to die on.

 

[Sentenza]

Is this another one of these threads where weebs attempt to argue that creepy loli shit is a fundamental human right?

 

[TheContact]

 

[SLoWMoTIoN]

So they literally had depictions of underage sex in the files deployed through Steam and this thread is still decrying this as censorship?

lol

Man some of you are suss as hell.

Technically banning child porn is "censorship" you dolts... so maybe pick a different hill to die on.

Is this another one of these threads where weebs attempt to argue that creepy loli shit is a fundamental human right?

It is another thread where people never read the fucking replies and say stupid shit nobody said. Called it LMAO.

No man, the replies. We get these retarded ass replies every time we question selective censorship.

 

[Skyr]

While I don't like censorship, I welcome all eradication of perverted weeb shit. GUD!

 

[IntentionalPun]

It is another thread where people never read the fucking replies and say stupid shit nobody said. Called it LMAO.

I read the replies and saw people whining about selective censorship.

What in the world makes you think I give a flying fuck about you attempting to distract away from the issue?

The issue is pedophilia. "Well it's SELECTIVE CENSORSHIP".. yeah they should ban pretty much all of these sick anime games, I agree..next?

 

[The Mad Draklor]

Censorship bingo time, anyone?

 

[SlimeGooGoo]

Good guy Valve

 

[The Mad Draklor]

I read the replies and saw people whining about selective censorship.

What in the world makes you think I give a flying fuck about you attempting to distract away from the issue?

The issue is pedophilia. "Well it's SELECTIVE CENSORSHIP".. yeah they should ban pretty much all of these sick anime games, I agree..next?

And yet there are non-anime games that also have underage characters having sex and they aren’t banned. Oh, and even worse, in those non-anime games, those characters are depicted in more realistic human proportions.

Your fixation on “sick anime games” is therefore rather misplaced if pedophilia is really a concern of yours...

 

[Mitsuda Maniac]

I don't like censorship, but I also gotta question anyone who is into pedo anime crap too. Can't imagine people who crave drawn images of underaged girls are going down a good path. Loli stuff is especially sick and disgusting considering they legitimately look like 12 yr olds.

 

[LazyParrot]

The issue is pedophilia. "Well it's SELECTIVE CENSORSHIP".. yeah they should ban pretty much all of these sick anime games, I agree..next?

Just in case you haven't noticed, the female characters in this game all have huge knockers. This is not a game for pedophiles. They are not "lolis". Not unless you're Jason Schreier, anyway.

 

[Sentenza]

It is another thread where people never read the fucking replies and say stupid shit nobody said. Called it LMAO.

I won't call you out on that.

 

[The Mad Draklor]

I don't like censorship, but I also gotta question anyone who is into pedo anime crap too. Can't imagine people who crave drawn images of underaged girls are going down a good path. Loli stuff is especially sick and disgusting considering they legitimately look like 12 yr olds.

I also gotta question people who think anime drawings will have the same effect as actual child pornographic material...

And don’t forget the means of producing such content. “Sick anime games” are drawn while actual child porn involves sexual exploitation and abuse of children.

 

[Rikoi]

I don't like censorship, but I also gotta question anyone who is into pedo anime crap too. Can't imagine people who crave drawn images of underaged girls are going down a good path. Loli stuff is especially sick and disgusting considering they legitimately look like 12 yr olds.

I think it's one of the reason why animes are viewed bad.
The biggest anime fetishes are the two opposites:
Lolis, and big boobs.
While big boobs are viewed acceptable because it's a sign of a developed body/girl, the opposite is not true, because lolis are viewed as children and depiciting them as sexual object can rise many objections and gives a bad image.

New UN Guidelines Recommend Banning Sexual Loli Material in Anime, Manga

The United Nations is a forum for diplomatic discussions and a place to check-and-balance [...]

comicbook.com

 

[SLoWMoTIoN]

I think it's one of the reason why animes are viewed bad.
The biggest anime fetishes are the two opposites:
Lolis, and big boobs.
While big boobs are viewed acceptable because it's a sign of a developed body/girl, the opposite is not true, because lolis are viewed as children and depiciting them as sexual object can rise many objections and gives a bad image.

New UN Guidelines Recommend Banning Sexual Loli Material in Anime, Manga

The United Nations is a forum for diplomatic discussions and a place to check-and-balance [...]

comicbook.com

Lolis are shit though.

 

[IntentionalPun]

Just in case you haven't noticed, the female characters in this game all have huge knockers. This is not a game for pedophiles. They are not "lolis". Not unless you're Jason Schreier, anyway.

Ah yes, just make your childish faced high school freshmen have huge knockers and suddenly it's totally not about fucking kids.

 

[Decontamination Silo]

Censorship? Freedom of Speech was never about obscenity and deviant sexual perversion.

Sexual deviants are getting sent to the sea in less than a decade with extreme prejudice.

"But decontamination silo, are you just gonna throw people in the sea because of the sexual proclivities?"

Abso-fucking-lutely. And history will smile upon us for doing so.

 

[bad guy]

They should at least have gotten a notice or explanation.

But when you operate in the gray zone expect to be cut by the razors edge.
Just release it as 18+ and stop making sexual games for 10yo.

 

[Fuz]

While I don't like censorship, I welcome all eradication of perverted weeb shit. GUD!

First they came for the lolis, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a weeb.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

 

[Rikoi]

Sexual deviants are getting sent to the sea in less than a decade with extreme prejudice.

"But decontamination silo, are you just gonna throw people in the sea because of the sexual proclivities?"

Abso-fucking-lutely. And history will smile upon us for doing so.

Your nickname fits perfectly with your post I'd say

 

[JunkerWoland]

MangaGamer and their industry peers, including Japanese publishers of visual novels and adventure games, created this problem, when they chose to prioritize Steam's prominence over the integrity of their own games. Steam doesn't make promises about maintaining a game's availability once it's been listed on its platform; and even besides the general erratic behavior displayed by the company, the past few years have shown Steam (or at least specific people within the company) has a target on certain types of Japanese games and certain publishers of Japanese games.

Instead of ripping apart their titles in a bid to secure Steam releases, publishers of Japanese visual novels and adventure games should devote that time and effort into publicizing their own marketplaces and other storefronts geared towards older consumers. On the positive side, we are starting to see more viable storefronts and publishers of VNs & AVGs working together to cross-list titles, instead of sticking to their own walled gardens. At the same time, general audiences are still much more likely to see news stories that a particular game is available on Steam, rather than how it's for sale without DRM and without the need for an optional adult patch from various other sources.

 

[eyesabitdull]

Lmao, as long as "Tokaitsu Party" (or whatever it's called) is still up and for sale - i don't see any sort of censorship problem looming over steam that is of huge concerned yet.

 

[Patterson]

So if we break down some games to their essence, the message becomes:
Murder = acceptable
Pedo = not acceptable

Both illegal.

I’m not into the pedo games, but if we’re going to be honest, when politicians try to ban a game because of its violence, the outcry is ”its a video game! Of course it’s not real!”. Stuff like that. So how is this any different?

Playing devil’s advocate.

 

[EverydayBeast]

Nobody sees these games on Steam unless you're digging them up.

 

[Rikoi]

So if we break down some games to their essence, the message becomes:
Murder = acceptable
Pedo = not acceptable

Both illegal.

I’m not into the pedo games, but if we’re going to be honest, when politicians try to ban a game because of its violence, the outcry is ”its a video game! Of course it’s not real!”. Stuff like that. So how is this any different?

Playing devil’s advocate.

You can't ban kids playing the war but you can ban adults playing with kids, after all that's how in real life works too

 

[Graciaus]

Leave anime tiddies alone. No surprise someone continues their personal crusade at Valve.

 

[jakinov]

Someone should start a launcher/store for these kinds of games. I'm sure people would like a discreet seperate place from their steam account too so people don't see if they want to hide it.

 

[Rikoi]

Someone should start a launcher/store for these kinds of games. I'm sure people would like a discreet seperate place from their steam account too so people don't see if they want to hide it.

I think there is already one which is fairly popular, not sure if they publish them there too or why they don't

 

[Phunkydiabetic]

Before I even clicked on the thread I knew it was some weeb shit

 

[Patterson]

You can't ban kids playing the war but you can ban adults playing with kids, after all that's how in real life works too

In the real world murder and pedo are illegal, but in the digital world, one gets a pass.

If we look at it objectively, is this hypocritical?

 

[Rikoi]

In the real world murder and pedo are illegal, but in the digital world, one gets a pass.

If we look at it objectively, is this hypocritical?

I think I already answered you, I'll try to elaborate some more.
As a culture we deem acceptable shooting and murderer fiction, but we don't deem acceptable pedophilia.

The reason we accept this is because grown men have their "choice" of killing each other, the world went on with wars and killing for ages. It's a natural instinct to prevaricate others, even at school we learn history about past wars and we start to consider it as a natural thing, that's why it doesn't shock us.

Children have a psychological need to vent their aggressivity because it's their nature, that's why they usually play fighting each other when they are young (and older too), else they would be frustrated.
Videogames are a way to help them fullfill this need, this is why it's idiotic to try to ban these kind of games, because they would resort to real life injuries if we removed any kind of way to vent their need of aggression.

As a culture pedophilia is not our thing, even the most scummy criminal on earth would tell you that pedophilia is disgusting. You are basically taking advantage of a little kid that can't defend himself, and to us, seeing that someone might like to do this is outrageous.
When such themes are touched in a videogames, we think that the shop that's hosting it, is ok with it, and knowing that a bunch of potential adult pedophiles that can't control themselves are enjoying these kinds of stuff on their same platform is disgusting.
Knowing that some sexual perverts that might hurt their children are there, it's disgusting.
It's 2 clicks away from normal games.

These of course are my personal thoughts on the matter.

 

[SLoWMoTIoN]

In the real world murder and pedo are illegal, but in the digital world, one gets a pass.

If we look at it objectively, is this hypocritical?

Not comparable at all. Murdering someone can be justified. The other? Fuck no. You can see the error in your logic right?