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Game Publishers: Valve Issues Warning to Remove Adult Content From Steam (Updated)

Several game developers and publishers have reported receiving notices from Valve regarding adult content on Steam. Valve allegedly said it would take the games off of Steam if the adult content was not removed.

Publisher MangaGamer posted a statement on its blog, and shared part of Steam's alleged notice in a press release. The notice refers to MangaGamer's yuri game Kindred Spirits On The Roof:

We've discovered pornographic depictions in your product: Kindred Spirits On The Roof. This is a violation of our rules and guidelines for content that can be distributed on the Steam platform. We won't be able distribute the product on Steam as long as it includes pornographic depictions.

MangaGamer first posted the game with uncensored adult content on Steam in 2015. MangaGamer maintains that it was not aware of any change in policy before receiving a warning, and plans to negotiate with Valve to keep Kindred Spirits in the Steam Store.

"We went to great pains to run the game's content by Valve representatives––including sending along every potentially questionable graphical asset along with advanced builds of the title––to ensure that that feeling was mutual," MangaGamer's statement read. "The game would have never appeared on the platform if we had not confirmed with Valve representatives that they did not feel the content was pornographic and was appropriate for the platform."

Independent studio Lupiesoft, whose anime-style games are published by on Steam by MangaGamer, also reported receiving a notice. The developer asserted on Twitter that its game Mutiny!! has nothing that violates Steam's guidelines, and that MangaGamer had previously confirmed this with Steam. The developer said that its game only has bare breasts, but that other games such as The Witcher and Grand Theft Auto games do as well.

The developers of these game franchises have not reported receiving similar notices from Steam. Steam features an age gate for some games.

Other developers that reported receiving notifications include Neko Works — which specified that it was given until the end of May to remove adult content from its Tropical Liquor game — and Huniepot.

Several game publishers reported last November that they had received correspondence from Steam asking them to remove links to uncensor patches that would restore adult content to games on Steam. Many developers provide these patches on their official websites — Mutiny!! has an adult content patch but Kindred Spirits On The Roof does not.

ANN reached out to Valve but the company has not responded or issued a public statement as of press time.

Update: Game publisher Sekai Project also posted on Twitter on Friday that Steam has told the company that "content in Re;Lord 1 must be censored by the end of this month or the game will be removed from Steam." Sekai Project stated it is "going to engage in talks with Valve but at the same time make adjustments as requested." Escu:de/Element developed the Re;Lord 1 ~The witch of Herfort and stuffed animals~ game. Sekai Project later added that Steam has only informed Sekai Project about possible removal of Re;Lord 1 ~The witch of Herfort and stuffed animals~ and not any other title.

Source: PC Gamer (Samuel Horti)