Valve threatening to remove VNs with adult content from steam?

[Shinoa]

4 minutes ago, tahu157 said:

This:

https://vndb.org/v22460

 

VNDB doesn't have many screenshots, but if you can find a CG set you'll see it's a nukige.

Hope it did, SakuraGame is MTL cancer, they dont even bother editing their mtl.

[SaintOfVoid]

re. Valve threatening to remove VNs with adult content from steam

as hard/incomprehensible as it may seem to some, in the end it´s their plattform, their decision, their guideline to make. 
doesn´t matter if it´s mangagamer or other publishers/develovers who´re affected by said outcome, valve has any and all rights to handle steam as they see fit.
no matter how much one whines and rages, if you don´t like it, don´t use it. simple as that.

[Shinoa]

2 minutes ago, SaintOfVoid said:

re. Valve threatening to remove VNs with adult content from steam

as hard/incomprehensible as it may seem to some, in the end it´s their plattform, their decision, their guideline to make. 
doesn´t matter if it´s mangagamer or other publishers/develovers who´re affected by said outcome, valve has any and all rights to handle steam as they see fit.
no matter how much one whines and rages, if you don´t like it, don´t use it. simple as that.

Ye no one is saying that they cant do it, that is why we are talking about alternatives.

[Hetzer123]

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Edited October 2, 2019 by Hetzer123

[Plk_Lesiak]

13 minutes ago, SaintOfVoid said:

re. Valve threatening to remove VNs with adult content from steam

as hard/incomprehensible as it may seem to some, in the end it´s their plattform, their decision, their guideline to make. 
doesn´t matter if it´s mangagamer or other publishers/develovers who´re affected by said outcome, valve has any and all rights to handle steam as they see fit.
no matter how much one whines and rages, if you don´t like it, don´t use it. simple as that.

Maybe, maybe, but that you assume they have guidelines and stick to them. Many of the games they're threatening to remove went through a meticulous approval process and the publishers did whatever they could to make sure everything is done according to the rules and with Valve's consent. Now, without changing the actual guidelines, Valve started going after games it suddenly perceives as too lewd.

Valve has all the right in the world to set up its own rules and we might contest their choices, but mostly have to accept them. But if they don't respect their own rules and the publishers using their platforms, abuses their and our trust, we have all the right in the world to bash them. I expect a game that was greenlit by Valve to go live on their service to be safe and safe to buy, in meaning that it won't randomly infect my computer or disappear without a word after I paid money for it. It's not "whining" to expect a bare minimum of professionalism and consistency from the service you rely on heavily for your entertainment.

Imagine if Netflix started pulling down shows every time you watch half into a season because they suddenly realized they are too risque. Not fun, right? I don't think many viewers would be happy about it either.

Edited May 18, 2018 by Plk_Lesiak

[sanahtlig]

One of my sources tells me that this was prompted by a change in the international legal landscape.  If true, the likelihood that Valve will back off is essentially zero.  However, that's not to say that Valve wouldn't be ok with highly-sterilized releases of eroge (think MoeNovel) + a patch somewhere else that could not be traced back to Valve in any shape or form.

[Hetzer123]

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Edited October 2, 2019 by Hetzer123

[sanahtlig]

The details should emerge sooner or later in a proper write-up.  Probably not by me though.

Edited May 18, 2018 by sanahtlig

[Kawasumi]

1 minute ago, sanahtlig said:

The details should emerge sooner or later in a proper write-up.  Probably not by me though.  Regulations in the UK and EU regarding marketing to minors appears to be the crux.

I never thought about this actually, especially in the UK where they're implementing a law with porn passes 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/porn-passes-newsagents-shops-online-pornography-website-id-uk-government-a8349281.html

 

[tahu157]

This whole thing has prompted me to buy an DL Song of Memories in case it gets nuked, since steam appears to be the only place it's distributed on PC.

[sanahtlig]

2 hours ago, tahu157 said:

This whole thing has prompted me to buy an DL Song of Memories in case it gets nuked, since steam appears to be the only place it's distributed on PC.

Panicking users to impulse buy could all be part of Valve's master plan!  (That's actually a fairly typical shady marketing tactic.)

Edited May 18, 2018 by sanahtlig

[adamstan]

About Song of Memories - is there a release date for english translation?

[sarkasmus]

25 minutes ago, Palas said:

Aside from national stances getting harder on porn, generally speaking, such as in the UK, there have been zero international moves/agreements to crack down on sexual content anywhere. If anything, multi-lateral agreements have been weaker (see: TPP, trade wars, weaker UN resolutions about anything). I'd like your sources to provide sources.

 

Because even if there was something, it doesn't explain why these games were targeted, but not others. The only explanation we currently have that holds up is the one regarding advertisement of patches.

Correct me if I'm wrong but Kindred Spirits doesn't have such a patch, right? It is still trageted by this.

Besides, I still think if it were about the patches they would've mentioned it directly like lasst time when they forbid the direct advertisement on steam.

 

As for a change of laws: I doubt that as well. Not just that i didn't here anything about major international changes, it wouldn't just hit anime-style games and VNs.

 

I think there are 2 possibilities, Valve either changed how they interpret their own guidelines and only target niche games because in case of bigger ones the uproar would be too big.

Or they started using some kind of algorithm which automatically flags a certain kind of game (by analyzing discussions, reviews and so on), which would also explain why the publishers didn't get any details on what to change.

[littleshogun]

As for Song of Memories, I think it wouldn't matter if it's released in Steam, because it was released at console first and therefore it should be safe from the warning. So what I can say in regard of that is just don't panic if you just waiting for Song of Memories.

PS - As for PC version release date, currently it's still unknown but at lease Switch release was already planned at this year.

[tahu157]

6 minutes ago, littleshogun said:

just don't panic if you just waiting for Song of Memories.

Too late lol

[Kawasumi]

welp, here we go.

https://endsexualexploitation.org/articles/top-videogame-company-steam-removing-sexually-graphic-content/

 

[sanahtlig]

4 minutes ago, Kawasumi said:

welp, here we go.

https://endsexualexploitation.org/articles/top-videogame-company-steam-removing-sexually-graphic-content/

 

Thanks for that bit of radical feminist propaganda.  I'm sure it will provoke a thoughtful and constructive discussion here.

[SaintOfVoid]

1 hour ago, Plk_Lesiak said:

Imagine if Netflix started pulling down shows every time you watch half into a season because they suddenly realized they are too risque. Not fun, right? I don't think many viewers would be happy about it either.

this is pretty much what i meant above. because it´s their own plattform there´s nothing you can do besides boycotting/using alternatives for them having upset customers.
i know it´s frustrating, and i´m aware users are pissed, but if this is what they´ve wanted so be it, with all consequences.

[Yuuko]

1 hour ago, Plk_Lesiak said:

Imagine if Netflix started pulling down shows

You mean something they already do? w

[Kawasumi]

12 minutes ago, sanahtlig said:

Thanks for that bit of radical feminist propaganda.  I'm sure it will provoke a thoughtful and constructive discussion here.

hows it propaganda? they're literally taking responsibility for the censoring LOL 

[tahu157]

Idk this just seems like a different spin on the video games cause violence argument.

[Kawasumi]

1 minute ago, tahu157 said:

Idk this just seems like a different spin on the video games cause violence argument.

it is, if you look at their board of directors theres tons of conservative christians on it.

[sanahtlig]

13 minutes ago, Kawasumi said:

hows it propaganda? they're literally taking responsibility for the censoring LOL 

Of course they would claim "victory".  That's what activists do because it draws attention to themselves and energizes their base.  That doesn't in any way substantiate the claim that such a campaign had any influence at all on this matter.

Edited May 18, 2018 by sanahtlig

[Kawasumi]

2 minutes ago, sanahtlig said:

Of course they would claim credit for it.  That's what activists do because it draws attention to themselves and energizes their base.  That doesn't in any way substantiate the claim that their campaign had any influence at all on this matter.

>radical feminist
>90% of their board is conservative christians

pick one lol.

 

fair point, but it seems like they were pressured from that front for 2 years, its still a plausable explanation

[Plk_Lesiak]

13 minutes ago, Kawasumi said:

>radical feminist
>90% of their board is conservative christians

pick one lol.

1

Yup, this definitely looks like a conservative organization, they even insert references to faith and actual feminist talking points are few and far between (and it's not a new thing for conservatives to hijack those whenever it fits their goals and adds to their credibility).

-------------------------------------

Regardless, I agree with Sanahtlig that them claiming responsibility doesn't mean much in this instance - I guess anti-porn radicals are a bit like ISIS in this matter, they'll claim everything that suits their agenda as their doing.  That "thank Valve for censorship" petition does make my blood boil though, I hope they'll at least get more complaints from pissed people than congratulations from dimwitted zealots that haven't see a video game in their life outside of random pieces of media fearmongering.

Edited May 18, 2018 by Plk_Lesiak